For years Lloyd and I have owned, and loved, Japanese cars. It all started with a Honda Civic which we drove for years, finally giving it to our oldest son who celebrated over 400,000 km in it. We've had Toyotas, a Honda Accord and currently have a 2003 Acura and a 2012 Mazda. These cars have been gems. With regular oil changes and maintenance checks they have served us for many years with a minimum - a very minimum - of service needed.
Then, somehow in the past few years, we've had the pleasure (?) of owning and/or using some POC Ford products. We bought a used Windstar van to take to Arizona for our use down there. It seems that every time we go down there, we've been putting between $500 - $1000 in work on it...everything from tires (expected) to replacing engine parts that melt in the hot Arizona sun!...and everything else in between.
We decided to replace it with a 2006 POC Ford Expedition, top of the line, Eddie Bower edition, with fairly low mileage. I blogged extensively about this
You may recall that I took it in to be serviced before making the trip and was told that it was in good shape and shouldn't have any trouble. Five hours into the trip, in the wilds of southern Montana, it died a horrible death. After being rescued by Lloyd and the Mazda, we continued on the trip in the Mazda while a new motor was ordered and installed in the POC Ford. Two weeks and $5000 later, we got it back. It's had more work done on it since then but eventually we'll try again to get it to Arizona and swap it out for the POC Ford Windstar. Incidentally, a friend of ours in Arizona has the same vehicle, a year newer, and it had the same problem. Apparently the engines are programmed to die at 150,000 miles! Nice.
For his job, which involves a lot of travel, Lloyd uses the company's brand new 2012 POC Ford F150 Pickup - fully loaded. A beautiful vehicle whose only misfortune is being a POC Ford. It has 24,000km on it and has already had major engine repairs done and now, as soon as the ordered parts come in, it needs major transmission work. Luckily it's under warranty still, but what a nuisance. You certainly don't expect that from a brand new truck, unless, of course, it's a POC Ford.
I realize that there are lemons in every kind of vehicle. It's just been our misfortune that any we've encountered have been POC Fords.
So I think I'm justified in saying that NEVER again will we get a POC Ford, new, used or otherwise. It's just not worth the hassel. Henry Ford should be rolling over in his grave.
By the way, in case you're wondering, the POC designation is just the way Lloyd and I refer to any Ford products now - Piece Of Crap.
That's my say for today. I'm going to get in my Acura now and go out driving in the lovely(!) snow that's falling today.
10 comments:
Sorry you had such a bad time of it. I've got to say in defense that I'm driving a ford and it's still chugging along just fine. Sure hope your car problems have come to an end now. I think you need a break there.
I owned one ford about 25 years ago. It ran fine but I have had 3 cars since that I prefer, all foreign. I have had my honda del sol since 1994 and have never had a moments trouble with it. I LOVE that car and she seems to love me back.
I learned long ago not to buy an American car. Fords stink! I will always have either a Honda or a Toyota. They are made way better than anything the US can figure out. The only thing that rubs me wrong about this choice is that license plates are way more expensive and they really do not need to be. It's all a rip-off.
Was going to ask you what POC meant when you told me! My DH, whenever he sees a car stranded on the side of the road, says "bet it's a Ford!" Though lately he's been thinking they have improved their vehicles! Not with you or others it seems!
FORD stands for "found on the road dead"or "fix or repair daily". My husband hates Fords with a passion and yes, 8 out of 10 cars on the side of the road not running are Fords.
As I say all of this I must "knock on wood" not to jinx myself. Ordinary care for 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan. Ordinary care for 2008 Chevy Colorado (of course we've only owned a couple of months). Ordinary care for 1979 Ford 150 pickup. Love our '79 pickup and though we've had offers, I won't let Ron sell it. We dated in this truck and drove many a mile with grandchildren plus let them drive it around our field while they were learning to drive. Too many memories. Sometimes I just like to go sit in that old truck and remember.
Lucky me, I was raised by a man who taught me never to buy a Ford. Wonder what happened to that guy... ;)
Sorry for your bad experiences - no matter what type of vehicle. I have been running into lots of your fellow countrymen and women at my new job. They are down enjoying our lovely weather.
Oh dear - I've had three Fords - I'm driving a smart Fiesta at the moment - and I don't want to tempt fate, but mine have been fine. But then mine were made either in Britain or Europe, where Fords have a good reputation!
Thats very frustrating when you spend a large chunk of hard earned dollars on a vehicle that falls apart.
We are Chevy people. Last two suburbans have had 248,000 miles and now Ol Sub is on 291,000. Sure hope the '10 pickup we just bought holds together like they did!!
When we were shopping for a vehicle we checked out Ford. I tripped and about broke my foot. The salesman told me it was my own fault and had did it on purpose. Obviously many have tripped on this crazy uneven step.Now I cant personally hold that against Ford but I will never grace THAT doorstep again.
I hope you and your Acura have many happy miles together!
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