Ford threatens Land Rover

[onslow]

We Brits dont care what you invented or designed.

WE INVENTED THE LANDROVER AND THAT IS WHY YOU ARE HERE.



ONz OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Serg]

Now now.. everyone play nicely, or I'll give you all a time out... hee hee..

Hey, I live in the US.. and I can't stand 95% of the cars that are made here... HORRIBLE design and fit/finish/ergonomics....Aztek? H2? Taurus? uggh.... but I would not buy a new British car either... I'm more of a German car guy, but I do love old British cars, and some old Muscle cars..


Serg

[DevynsDad]

Originally Posted by onslow

WE INVENTED THE LANDROVER AND THAT IS WHY YOU ARE HERE.

And Ford's money is why Land Rover is still here.

When I heard several years ago that Land Rover had been purchased by Ford, I shuddered. When the early reports that were out said that the next generation Discovery was going to be based on the new Explorer platform, I started looking at my finances and prepared to buy a new Discovery before the evil deed was done. Like everyone else, I was afraid that Ford was going to take the Land Rover name, slap it on a gussied up Explorer and charge an extra $10,000 for their effort.

Thankfully, it looks like Ford decided early on to let Land Rover stay mostly autonomous and remain a distinct carmaker. But you can't blame Ford for wanting to see a return on their investment and righfully expecting the workers at the Solihull facility to live up to the agreements they made. In order for Land Rover to remain a serious contender in the world SUV market, they have to not only have tremendous off road capability, panache and style, but they need to be as reliable as the Japanese brands. For this to happen, the production process must meet the standards that have made Ford one of the largest auto makers in the world.

[Steve83]

Originally Posted by onslow

THAT IS WHY YOU ARE HERE.

I'm only here offering info & advice to help you keep yours running - I'd never own or drive one! I'm uncomfortable cramming myself into a '96-02 RR just to drive a few feet. No way I'd do it every day. And Discos are WAAAY to small. I like FULLSIZE! Jag XJs are close, but not worth the extra money over a Mercury Marauder. I'll stick with my Bronco & Crown Vic.

[jozg44]

I've witnessed the USA cars vs. Rest of the World debtate on some other forums and they've all come to the same conclusion-

As a family we have always bought British-built cars, even in the dark days of Austin-Rover. Our selection has included MG sports-cars that leaked, rusted and rattled to the same extent as a Series Land Rover, an Austin Allegro with the square steering 'wheel', and a Rover 800- often voted high on the list of 'worst car ever built in Britain' (it ended up throwing 2 big-ends in the middle of a roundabout).

We have been to the USA several times and have experienced several hire-cars (granted these aren't usually the best cars on the market). They have included Chryslers, Fords and a Saturn. The interior-finish quality of the Saturn was the worst I have ever seen on a car (and a Rover 800 takes some beating....)- you could wobble whole sections of the dahsboard around and if you pressed hard it popped out. The (auto) gearbox was unwilling to change gear with any rapidity and there were numerous rattling noises from the seat bases and door frames.

The last US-car we drove in the US was a Chrysler Cirrus. Apart from its dubious styling (not the issue here), it must have had the most inefficent engine produced in the 1990's- a 2 litre (i think) 4-cylinder that would be beaten hands-down by most Volkswagen, Renault, etc. lean-burn engines in the power/size ratio stakes. It also drank fuel like a top-litreage V8. However, the interior was easily up to Mercedes standards- quality plastics, not a single rattle and good ergonomics.

Meanwhile, in 2004 Britain's only independent mass-production car company (MG-Rover) is selling cars that started life as old Hondas in 1990 (and were old then), its only decent saloon was deisigned by the Germans and its latest city-car is imported from India (with all the quality that entails).

So, as has been said- very few companies actually make cars that are a) good quality, b) good reliablity, c) good value. You get a trade-off between those three.

USA- invented the 3.5-litre Buick V8
UK- invented the Range Rover to put it in.

I very much doubt that either would have lasted as long as they did without the other.

There you go- a transatlantic success story....

[V8_Agro]

Hey all I don't know who is the best car manufacture in the world or who invented what but as some of you have said some of the yank tanks are crap and when the world oil price's keep going where there going the Americans are going to have a big shock.

I have been to the UK and some of there turbo diesel cars are fantasic and I wish I could bring them to Australia but our stupid laws would allow it or not yet anyway.

If you all want to argue who is the best then this is it

Australia- makes the worst cars
America- make the best muscle cars
UK- make LANDROVERS

If you yanks are so good then why does landrover have a 50 million doller german made 5 stage panel press mach???????????????

Don't get me wrong some people are good at making somethings and some people are not.

Also on the plant closing my father in-law works for landrover and ford have said that about 8000 jobs are closing and that they are THINKING of move the plant to the Jag one thats all that they have said so far.

I maybe a dumb assie but I know and love my cars

Adam

[TerryS]

In answer to your two questions, I 'haunt, as you say, LR sites because there are so many cheeky, oh, did I say that, I meant Cheery blokes like you. Your somewhat confused diatribe on history was amusing.

I like working on cars. I find it relaxing, and I'm not bad at it. I've had, oh, maybe 15 LRs in the past thirty years, and they afford me more opportunity to work on them than most any other interesting vegicles. If they didn't break so often, I could always go back to Jags, Healys, MGs, all the old classics.

In asnswer to your second question, I do acxtually have a couple US built 4X4s, a FORD (Oh, shudder the thought) It isn't so much fun as my 110, I guess cuz it hasn't broken yet, but then it's only going on 9 yearss old and 180,000 miles. As we get the odd 80" of snow, it earns it's keep. Dang if it doesn't always start, and warm up too. I guess that it can and regularly does tow a 4 ton trailer and tractor would make it unusual to those better informed than me, but hey, I'm just a dumb yank.

I think the quotes I've read in the LR rags was 70% of series vehicles were still working (at what cost, on never mind) but then 70% of the total built really isn't a huge number. I too have my Great Grandfathers AXE (He's not the one who chopped down the cherry tree, we were still in England and Scotland then) So what if that AXE has had three new heads and 6 new handles.

Take care Syd !
TERRY (Who'se Henry?) Oh, that was a joke? Sorry, we yanks are slow like that sometimes

[SydneyViking]

Well that worked well.

I'll try it again sometime..

Oh and by the way, I'm not Australian so your jibes on GM-Holden are supported by me too.

Never said the British car industry was anything to write home about either, and as you suggest, the Germans are probably the only ones to be able to hold their heads high recently.

Just lighten up would you... This is for fun!

Oh I forgot, you yanks have had your SOH removed where it comes to attacks on them or their country's products. I'm suprised Michael Moore is still alive..

toodlepip

[Steve83]

Originally Posted by SydneyViking

you yanks have had your SOH removed where it comes to attacks on them or their country's products.

Yeah, well how do you think you'd feel if someone ran a Concorde into Big Ben? I bet that'd change the way you look at things, too.

[SydneyViking]

hey steve

I was not wishing to belittle the events of 9/11 in any way.. I meant attacks in the sense of highlighting the shortcomings of your car industry only.

I am well aware of the sensitivities surrounding the war on terror and events in Beslan over the last few days only serves to re-inforce how insignificant our postulations on here are...

We are lucky enough to live in countries where we CAN whinge about such trivialities and we should thank our lucky stars, that every day, Young men and women put their lives at risk to protect our way of life.

yours

Syd

[mbruneaux]

It's called physics. I'm not a fan of Ford or Firestone but from everything I've seen and read about the issue is that the tires overheated and blew. Often at high speeds! Make a few phone calls to an overzealous attorney about a faulty product and you would be amazed at how many people " were victims of an evil corporations conspiracy to kill you". Another note; Land Rover must be able to compete with the rest of the world to survive and Ford learned it's lesson with Jaguar about building sub par vehicles and expecting people to pay. It broke my heart to hear that the Series 3 would be based on a Ford chassis and that is why the last LR we buy will probably be a 2004. Investors in the UK need to buy back the mark and rack the wip!

[mbruneaux]

Socialists get so touchy....

[onslow]

Come over here and say that!!!!

[mbruneaux]

Originally Posted by onslow

Come over here and say that!!!!

We've got plenty here!

[DevynsDad]

Originally Posted by mbruneaux

Socialists get so touchy....

That was pretty damn funny.