Comments on: Ford CEO Alan Mulally Calls TTAC

By: Runfromcheney

Runfromcheney — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 03:17:16 +0000

I guess we should all appreciate Big Al for publicly acknowledging this site.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuNlEGbAKf0&feature=related

By: Matthew Danda

Matthew Danda — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:01:41 +0000

Al:

Put the 3.5 in the Fusion!! Build the best sedan you can–damn the concept of cannibalization! Put the 3.5 in the Fusion!!

By: quasimondo

quasimondo — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:34:46 +0000

Yeah…and now you have Mustangs with spark plugs cemented into the head and the only way to get them out is to break them.

But they’re not blowing out anymore, are they?

By: Jeff Puthuff

Jeff Puthuff — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:07:12 +0000

RF, Any chance of a redacted/anonymous report of your IP logs? Nothing special—just some data on automakers’ domains that consistently visit would be interesting.

By: SexCpotatoes

SexCpotatoes — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 04:03:21 +0000

Oh, and don’t forget to add about 1000 lbs of lightness to the new Mustang.

By: ferrarimanf355

ferrarimanf355 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:46:12 +0000

Also, Al, if you’re reading this, you should know that there was a strong “why can’t we get this?” reaction over the Econotec Fiesta. Bring that over, license the Blutec tech from Mercedes if need be, and offer a clean diesel hatch for us Yanks. $$$ awaits…

By: mfgreen40

mfgreen40 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:37:00 +0000

Quasimondo—– The 4.6 came out 1991, so it only took them 13 years to ( resolve) the problem. And like CrownVic says the 3 valve head has its own problems. Those thousands of customers that got screwed tell friends, relatives and co workers and that is why Ford, GM and Crysler are now paying the price.

By: Facebook User

Facebook User — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:08:43 +0000

Yeah…and now you have Mustangs with spark plugs cemented into the head and the only way to get them out is to break them.

And that car only had 38K on it.

Big Al, call me when Ford can figure out how to do spark plugs right.

By: quasimondo

quasimondo — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 02:07:03 +0000

mfgreen40, that issue was resolved by a cylinder head redesign five years ago.

By: ferrarimanf355

ferrarimanf355 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:36:14 +0000

Rick Wagoner hasn’t called yet — maybe he doesn’t have the phone number, but the rumor is that he’s hired a Haitian voodoo queen and what he really wants is a lock of Farago’s hair.

I always imagined a Roger & Me scenario, with Farago as Michael Moore and Red Ink Rick as Roger Smith. In other words, Red Ink Rick is dodging any attempts to be seen in the same room as Farago…

By: Ingvar

Ingvar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:00:45 +0000

“Could it be that Mullaley is just as bored as a lot of the cubicle Dilberts who seem to visit this site six times daily, and that he has nothing better to do right now than cruise Internet car blogs?”

TTAC is just one of those sites that insiders says they never read, but nonetheless browse at least six times daily to find the town hall gossip. If you want the bare boned truth, this is where you get it, like it or not. Therefore, I would think a lot of insiders are at least “TTAC-aware”, as Mr Farago put it, but they won’t publicly acknowledge it for a million bucks. I would also think that TTAC would be a great place and opportunity for a lot of people whose hands are tied to express their opinions sub rosa. With so much bullshit going around these days, there has to be some sort of discourse somewhere, where the facts are put on the table. Well, it’s a thought anyway…

By: Stephan Wilkinson

Stephan Wilkinson — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:44:02 +0000

A terrible thought: Could it be that Mullaley is just as bored as a lot of the cubicle Dilberts who seem to visit this site six times daily, and that he has nothing better to do right now than cruise Internet car blogs? Say it isn’t so. Or that it is.

By: mfgreen40

mfgreen40 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:04:19 +0000

My remark to Alan—– Until your company takes full responsibilty for its mistakes,and fix the problems sooner, you will never regain public trust. The 4.6 V-8 has 4 aluminum threads holding the sparkplug, when they come loose and blow out its a $2500 repair. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/ford_spark.html

By: romanjetfighter

romanjetfighter — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:22:46 +0000

I read on this blog I think that Ford makes its executives call customers at least twice a year to see how their purchase was? Or something like that.

QOTD: What’s the one question would you ask Alan if you got a chance?

By: Gregg

Gregg — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:53:17 +0000

“No biggie. A social call to one of our writers, thanking him for the infotainment. ”

He does stuff like that. A coworker emailed him and told him how much her aunt loved her Focus. That was over a year ago, and he still calls the aunt every couple of month to make sure she is still happy with her car.

By: Cicero

Cicero — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:50:44 +0000

Rick Wagoner hasn’t called yet — maybe he doesn’t have the phone number, but the rumor is that he’s hired a Haitian voodoo queen and what he really wants is a lock of Farago’s hair.

BTW, Mullaly’s call is a small thing but it tends to reinforce my perception that he’s not the typical behind-the-barricades Detroit auto industry zombie. (Zombie…voodoo… it’s a themed comment!) Ford did a smart thing picking him; I only hope that the rotten market he’s been handed isn’t insurmountable.

By: ferrarimanf355

ferrarimanf355 — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:49:03 +0000

ferrarimanf355…which 5.0? An updated version of the Windsor or a new one? Just wondering which one you are referring to. Personally, I’d take a 5.4 Mustang at a price lower than the rip-off pricing of the Shelby.

The one that Ford is going to put in the Mustang one year after the refresh. It’s a new one…

NickR, I think ferrariman meant a 4.9 mislabeled as a 5.0.

Wev. I round up… as long as it sounds great and accelerates like a bat of hell, does it really matter?

By: Runfromcheney

Runfromcheney — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:31:33 +0000

It makes sense that Mulally would be the first Detroit 3 exec to publically read TTAC. That is because he is the only Detroit exec that doesn’t have his head in his ass, his hands over his ears, and is screaming “LALALALALALALA PROSPERITY IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!!!!”

By: SherbornSean

SherbornSean — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:25:35 +0000

Maybe QOTD should be what questions TTAC should ask Mr. Mulalley, should he consent to an interview.

NickR, I think ferrariman meant a 4.9 mislabeled as a 5.0.

By: NickR

NickR — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:07:12 +0000

By: Dimwit

Dimwit — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:05:16 +0000

Pretty cool. I’ll wager that all the domestics read here far more than you might expect, just to get a feel for what the great unwashed are doing/commenting on.
Scarily, it might also be that Robert will report before they know what’s going on, even in their own corp.
Ignorance is not bliss when you’re the head.

By: billc83

billc83 — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:03:03 +0000

Congratulations RF and the whole crew of TTAC. Keep the editorials, reviews, and news coming!

By: ferrarimanf355

ferrarimanf355 — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:51:21 +0000

Hey, Alan, if you’re reading this, give me a new Mustang GT with a 5.0, a six-speed manual and nav for less than the Camaro, no later than spring 2010, and you’ll have a new blue oval boy for life.

By: kazoomaloo

kazoomaloo — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:31:43 +0000

Hey, awesome! I’m glad that this site, known for being harshly critical of automakers, is actually being read by any executives, much less the head of the company! He must come here to giggle at the horrible things we say about Wagoner and his posse of goonballs.

I’ve always thought that Mulally and Ford have the best chance of pulling out of this disaster, and actions like this only reinforce my positive opinion of the man and his different approach to Detroit business. Also, from the look of things, Detroit’s going to end up with a nice juicy bailout of some sort (they’re gonna strike while the iron is hot & scare people into ponying up tax $ lest the wobbly economy tumble altogether), so Al might be rolling in dough soon enough.

Now touch up the Fusion to make it competitive with the Malibu/Accord/Camry/Altima! (High MPG, quiet ride & comfy seats are all I ask)

By: Gary Numan

Gary Numan — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:24:44 +0000

Perhaps Alan called in to suggest that TTAC use the name “ChryMotors” for his new “wholly synergistic” and only domestic competitor left in town.