Reductive Design... from Ford CEO

[Snoranger]

A ramcharger could rust away to nothing before you made it home from the dealership.

FIFY

 

[Uncle Gump]

There were Ramchargers in NH once but the salt ate them. Compared to a Ramcharger a first generation Bronco didn't rust.
It would be nice to pick individual options instead of packages. When I ordered my 04 Ranger I wanted a silver one with chrome bumpers and grille, black face gauges, no fender flares, rubber floor mats, and a vinyl steering wheel. Nope. To get vinyl floor mats and a vinyl steering wheel without flares I had to order an Edge which came with painted bumpers and grille and white face gauges. I also couldn't get silver paint unless I bought a different trim level. I don't understand why the color restriction. A customer wanted a crew cab F250 with a 4.10 gear a few years ago to tow his camper. If he ordered a Supercab he could have 4.10's, to get a crew he had to accept 3.73's. ?? The heavier truck can't have the better gearing?? A Super Duty with 3.73 gears in NH is constantly downshifting to get up hills which drastically shortens transmission life. 3.73 x .67 overdrive = 2.49 final drive, then add tall tires, a camper on the back and hill terrain.

That kind of stuff baffles the mind Walt. Not sure how far the reductive design thing goes... but it sure would be nice to just create a build sheet and have them build it. I would be willing to pay a premium for exactly what I wanted.

 

[19Walt93]

When I started at the dealer in 75 a customer who retired as a local bank president would bring in his green 68-9 LTD with a red interior. It was hideous. When told he couldn't order a green car with a red interior that's exactly what he did "to spite them", to spite him they built it. I'm told he winced when he saw it but he bought it. Another customer ordered a bright red 75-6 Granada with a silver vinyl roof, it got the trophy for ugliest new car during my 42 years at the dealer- and if you saw some of the colors on the early European Fiestas, that's quite an achievement.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Well that was a nothingburger...

Delete a CD player and a built in garage door opener... that should knock off like $100.

What's a ramcharger?

A Bronco knockoff.

That kind of stuff baffles the mind Walt. Not sure how far the reductive design thing goes... but it sure would be nice to just create a build sheet and have them build it. I would be willing to pay a premium for exactly what I wanted.

No experience in dealers but I have noticed Dodge's truck builder site has much less crap tied up in "packages"

 

[Uncle Gump]

No experience in dealers but I have noticed Dodge's truck builder site has much less crap tied up in "packages"

That would probably be the best we could hope for... but I would still consider it a win.

 

[Snoranger]

Through Ford Fleet we can buy our F550s with almost any option a la carte, except navigation. You can only get that with the diesel... explain that one to me.

 

[Dirtman]

FIFY

After 87 they had galvanized bodies... my 89 had hardly any paint left on it but the damn thing never rusted and it was a sno commander plow truck for most of is life.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Through Ford Fleet we can buy our F550s with almost any option a la carte, except navigation. You can only get that with the diesel... explain that one to me.

Medium duty has always had way better build it the way you want it options.

You have an example of what they might get rid of that you might have wanted? I'm already building my Bronco.... don't want to miss something.

 

[Snoranger]

Medium duty has always had way better build it the way you want it options.

You have an example of what they might get rid of that you might have wanted? I'm already building my Bronco.... don't want to miss something.

I like having the CD player. I don’t need an auto dimming mirror... the old school manual switch worked fine for me.
Sooner or later they’re going to get rid of the headlight switch and everything will have automatic headlights.
Im surprised they haven’t moved all the controls off the doors to a central location... That would save on redundant window and lock switches, wiring, etc. Speaking of switches, my 2015 F150 had buttons on the HVAC for the heated seats and in the touch screen. One set of button was a computer program... The other set cost money to produce.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I like having the CD player. I don’t need an auto dimming mirror... the old school manual switch worked fine for me.
Sooner or later they’re going to get rid of the headlight switch and everything will have automatic headlights.
Im surprised they haven’t moved all the controls off the doors to a central location... That would save on redundant window and lock switches, wiring, etc. Speaking of switches, my 2015 F150 had buttons on the HVAC for the heated seats and in the touch screen. One set of button was a computer program... The other set cost money to produce.

Some cars do have the window controls on the console.

I don't know about the head light switch going away. It would be a safety thing if the auto thingie died and you couldn't turn on your lights.

 

[Snoranger]

Some cars do have the window controls on the console.

I don't know about the head light switch going away. It would be a safety thing if the auto thingie died and you couldn't turn on your lights.

I know, it seems like mostly a German thing. But it would cost a little less.

It’s no different then if your headlight switch failed... you have to get it fixed.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

A ramcharger could eat blazers and Broncos for breakfast. They didnt sell as well because they weighed 3 tons and got 6mpg. But they were idestructable armored tanks.

Dude a 78/79 Bronco will kick a ramchargers ass then bang its gf afterwards.

I love the ramchargers....and after 1980 id place them tops, but a dentside bronc with a 400 and a 4speed is one tough sumbitch to stop.

Yes the RC had the 440 but the bronco was better built.

 

[8thTon]

A ramcharger could eat blazers and Broncos for breakfast. They didnt sell as well because they weighed 3 tons and got 6mpg. But they were idestructable armored tanks.

LOL, and be a pile of ferric oxide by dinner!

 

[8thTon]

Ford clearly sees that the business model of making and selling private vehicles is falling apart. It's all been a byproduct of easy credit, and it's increasingly going to leases where the manufacturers get the vehicles back in a couple of years anyway. Meanwhile the cost of oil keeps oscillating between being high enough to support the costs of shale and other unconventional sources, which is too high for the general economy to bear, and the opposite. After the next bubble pops people won't be able to afford the payments and the fuel, so something will have to give. Already the numbers of unsold vehicles are growing and sales are tumbling.

Ford is only going to make the vehicles that are still profitable, at least for as long as they still are. So no cars except specialty vehicles that sell at a premium, trucks and comercial vehicles. Meanwhile they're searching for a new business model, probably hoping to sell "transportation services" or some such.

So yeah, they're hoping to reduce costs, but what he's talking about here sound like pi$$ing in the ocean.

 

[Dirtman]

Solid dana 44 > ford ttb
Dodge 360 > ford 302

I love the early Broncos but as soon as they put ttb under them nope nope nope.