http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060127/AUTO01/601270377/1148

Guess they need to do something to prop up their sales, eh? :rolleyes:

This has been a fairly common practice over the years at the domesitc automakers. This is not something that only Ford has instituted either. I remember many years ago when Ford, GM and Chrysler all had this "policy". If you drove one of the 'Big 3' vehicles and not the one you worked at you couldn't park in the close lot. But if you drove a "foreign" car you had to park in an even further lot! What they all found was the closest lots were very empty and pi$$ed off the workers so the policy faded out of practice.

The Ford buyers will stay fat and flabby. I think the walk will be healthy for the other workers who don't buy Ford. It will build stamina and strengthen the heart. Only the strong survive. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

wtf....that sucks. i guess top execs have to park their BMW or Mercedez across the lot and walk over...i guess that's what they get for their 6figure salaries. I guess ford should lower their prices for employees so all their employees can afford a ford and fix its problem not breaking down.

The top execs use their Fords for commuter beaters. When at home they drive their Mercedes.
I knew Ford workers that would never buy one because they knew how shoddy they were made:eek:

It's a great day to drive a Honda Ridgeline.

I am surprised that it is taking little ole me to point out the obvious.

The reason that Ford is mandating this is that having Tow Trucks centrally located in the closest parking lot is more efficient. No more zipping back and forth between parking lots to fetch broken down Fords, they are all parked together. ;)

Smoky :p

:D (I nearly spit out my drink)

I am surprised that it is taking little ole me to point out the obvious.

The reason that Ford is mandating this is that having Tow Trucks centrally located in the closest parking lot is more efficient. No more zipping back and forth between parking lots to fetch broken down Fords, they are all parked together. ;)

Smoky :p

Oh my God........youo are too funny!:eek: And so right.

fins

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060127/AUTO01/601270377/1148

I can relate to this practice in my own company. Our new CEO (third largest retailer in the USA) put out a company memo late last year warning our minimum wage associates that they had better not be caught carrying a competitor's bag on company premises.:mad:

Where did he get this idea? He 'noticed' another company executive with a competitor's bag on the company jet!

I am not making this up! He actually admitted this was his reasoning!

An interesting similarity between Ford and my company.....Both are in bad shape in their respective marketplace, and both are currently trying to reinvent themselves.

fins

As I was reading this thread I had an epiphany. In some cases we are beginning to sound like the flip side of the "other" forums. We are one of the best forums on the net with one of the best make and model vehicle. We know who and what we are and are comfortable with that. I think when we start bashing other makes we are lowering ourselves to the level of the "other" forums. It's not that I haven't been guilty of it, because I have, but from now on I resolve to cease this practice. I hope others will join me. I think relating a bad personal experience with another make is an exception and possibly explains the reason we purchased a Honda. But I think making statements that all (insert make here) are POS is beneath us. Just my $0.02.
That being said, I think Ford's decision on the parking is a bad one and they did not learn from the experiences of the past.

Yeah, I agree with you in principle Web, but Gretchen's comment was just too funny! :p :p

I think when we start bashing other makes we are lowering ourselves to the level of the "other" forums.

I agree Webwader. I was reading in Time about how the top executive at FORD was trying to go "green" and help the environment. I wish Ford all the best and if they had a truck as good as the Ridgeline I would buy it.

I think the parking lot thing is all about appearances. I bet it looked pretty sad when the Ford parking lot was filled with anything but a FORD. :rolleyes: At least by forcing those who bought other vehicles to park further out it will LOOK better for FORD.

Yeah, I agree with you in principle Web, but Gretchen's comment was just too funny!
No argument on that point. :)

It's a great day to drive a Honda Ridgeline.

I guess I'm in a minority on this issue but I see nothing wrong with using this type of tactic to compel employees to buy what they produce. I suspect that there are employees in each company who have never purchased a vehicle made by their employer. To me, that's just plain wrong.

I sincerely hope that Ford recovers from their current slump. We have a Ford engine plant here and if it closes, our local economy, which is already suffering from plant closings in other sectors, will take a severe blow. The same is true for many cities in the rust belt.

Until my recent Ridgeline purchase, I bought Fords religiously for the best part of 30 years, to show my support for our local Ford employees, even though some of them drove other makes. Well, enough is enough! We also build Hondas in Ohio and there are many Honda employees in this area. It's time to support them for a while. :)

Yeah, I agree with you in principle Web, but Gretchen's comment was just too funny! :p :p

I wish I could take credit for it, but it was SMR.

I lurk on many of the "other" message boards and her comment was not in any way inflammatory. I have heard RL owners called names that I can't even type here. SMR wasn't bashing the 'people' that drive Fords. Fords have a bad reputation (not sure if it's justified or not?) for breaking down and not being reliable - SMR was just making a comment based on that reputation.

Smokey, please don't take it personally. I reread and counted at least 4 posts that made fun of Ford prior to Web commenting on his epiphany. The first one was mine, and it didn't even occur to me that Web was chastising me in any way.

I for one, appreciated his comment for the point it made. No one is trying to run you off this board, your input is appreciated. I thought your comment was extremely funny and said as much!

Also, your description of true bashing is right on the mark, and our fun-poking here on the ROC is comparitively tame.

This is a great board, thanks to you and Web and many others.

I've tried to support the companies I've worked for in the past, but not anymore. If they make the better product, then I'll buy it. Companies have no loyalty whatsoever to their employees, so why should I have loyalty for them?

If a company requires you to buy (drive) what they make, then they should provide it to you for no charge. Otherwise, you have to buy what makes the most sense to you and your family.

I wonder how many Ford employees will go out and buy a 10 year old beater for a grand or two to drive to work?

I wish I could take credit for it, but it was SMR
Thanks, of course it was! I had scrolled down to check and came to your reply that had Smokey's imbedded.... excuses, excuses!

...and I agee with your comments.

I too disagree with the parking situation. That is being a little on the picky side by the mangagement of that particular plant. As far a the Ford bashing; I have to say I have never had a bad one. I have owned 3 Ford trucks in recent years; 1994 Ranger 4.0 V-6 Extended Cab XLT 4 X 4, 1998 F-150 4.6 V-8L XLT Extended Cab 4 X 4, and a 2003 F-150 5.4L V-8 Lariat Crew Cab 4 X 4. I can say nothing but good about these 3 trucks. I only have a Ridgeline because it is a Honda. If there was not Ridgeline I would be driving a F-150. :)

Oh good grief! Lighten up folks!

I was just trying to make a funny comment. I certainly do not think that I was "bashing" Ford by my comment. Nor do I think that you can equate my comment to others made on sites that bash the Ridgeline. I don't think I was "lowering myself". If I was bashing I would do as other folks on other forums do, which is make hostile, non-truthful statements and portray them as absolute truth; in repeated posts.

While we are busy pontificating about not bashing makers of other vehicles, I would hope that we would also avoid bashing one another!

If you and a few others are trying to run me off this board then you are doing a very good job! I really don't like feeling attacked everytime I post something.

By the way, and for the record, I wish Ford all the best and my heart breaks for those that are losing their jobs. Survival of the fittest sometimes has very cruel consequences for the innocent.

Smoky, I was not directing the post at you or anyone else that posted on this thread. As I stated, I have been as guilty as anyone else. The thought just came to me as I was reading this thread and also thought of what was being said about Ridgelines on the SportTrac forum. I just thought to myself that we didn't want to be like that. I'm sorry if any of you took it personally. What have I ever done to make you think I want you off the board? That comment stung the worst.
Maybe I should have started a separate thread but I just wanted to get the idea out on the board. :o