Quick Take: Ford's the Wrong Kind of Hot

By Seth JaysonNote to self: Buy fire extinguisher.If you want to know why Ford (NYSE: F) needs a turnaround so desperately, I submit that you need look no further than the recent recall notice I received for my Ranger. It documents a part failure that might -- get this -- cause my car to spontaneously combust, even if it's not running, and it warns me to park the thing away from structures so I don't burn them down. No wonder Ford has been struggling against a bad reputation for quality, especially when stacked up against the likes of Honda (NYSE: HMC) and Toyota (NYSE: TM).

And hey, it gets worse. Today, the local dealer tells me that Ford can't make enough parts, and I'll need to wait until December to get this fire-threat fixed. How's that for quality and service? What do you think the odds are my next car will be a Ford? What's that kind of publicity going to cost?

 

© 2007 Universal Press Syndicate.