Unfettered Letters

Driven a Ford lately?

Ford did not take or even request bailout money. Since they are now producing vehicles that will get 41 mpg, it would seem that those intending to buy a car this year should seriously think about buying one of these cars.

Let’s reward our American companies with our business.

Jo Johnson
Prairie Village

Happy with American cars

I want to say a couple of things to the car companies. First, GM, sorry. If you can’t make it, then it’s time to stop taking taxpayer money to continue on life support. I feel the same way about AIG. I want my money back.

We’ve had everything from Ford 150s to Dodge Colts to Ford Escapes and Rangers. My husband and I are driving the last two now. The Ranger has been as reliable a truck as we could’ve asked for. With very little maintenance, this 1997 American-made vehicle has taken my husband more than 250,000 miles and hauled countless sacks of brush, furniture, bricks, camping and fishing gear.

My Escape took me back and forth to Jefferson City for two years and has taken me to Denver, Dallas, Iowa and Nebraska — to the tune of nearly 200,000 miles.

These cars were good for us, good for the company that sold them and good for the workers who made them — all right here in Kansas City.

I’m not saying “buy only American.” I’m saying “buy a good car.” Many of those good cars are made right here.

Vicki Walker
Kansas City

A GM-Ford merger?

Twentieth-century management guru Peter Drucker wrote 10 years ago in the Wall Street Journal that GM would cease to exist in 10 years. In the last 20 to 25 years, the Big Three have manufactured vehicles that have not been pleasing to the buying public because of quality, warranties and price.

Japan and other manufacturers came to the U.S., and their automobiles have become superior to American-made. Since the 1950s, the American autoworkers’ union has continued to call for worker strikes for excess concessions: wages, health, retirement and time-off benefits. Now the companies cannot compete. Auto management and union staff have failed to understand the principles of competition.

If the American industry can survive, perhaps a GM and Ford merger could become a viable global auto company. Chrysler would fail or merge with another.

The important lesson to be learned by all: Don’t take the American auto buyer and the “bailout”-lending public for fools. They are not.

J.T. Heeter
Shawnee

Cheers for planned Ford hybrid

There used to be a feature in some magazine called “Cheers and Jeers.” Here’s a cheer for the Ford Motor Company and its plan to produce a hybrid Fusion.

We’ve been driving our 2001 Mercury Sable for a long time now, waiting for a Ford hybrid of the sort we could afford and would want to drive. Now my prayer is that when they are produced, they will truly be available.

I hope U.S. auto companies can turn around quickly and produce autos that help us break our dependency on foreign oil.

There are lots of us who want to support the U.S. auto industry and its workers, but we need the kinds of cars that help us do that.

Joe Barone
Columbia

Ford’s ‘MyKey’ feature

I am shocked to read that Ford has developed the “MyKey” feature (10/7, A-10, “.‘MyKey’ caps kids’ speed”) designed to “let parents slow down their kids in the family car.”

Ford is spending time and resources developing a feature that wouldn’t need to exist if cars were designed with less available speed to begin with. Parents aren’t supposed to drive above 80 mph, either, or drive above a posted speed limit around a tight curve.

Why doesn’t Ford spend time and energy designing a simple car with a fuel consumption of 60 mpg and a top available speed at reasonable efficiency (around 65 to 67 mph)?

MyKey — like power windows, power locks, and other nice but superfluous features — is an extra thing to understand and fix when it malfunctions.

Cécile Lagandré
Kansas City

Ford’s speed-restricting keys

I read that Ford has come out with a new, separate key that parents can give their children to limit a car’s top speed to 80 mph (10/7, A-10, “MyKey’ caps kids’ speed”). Why should this key be given to kids only?

I believe Ford and other manufacturers should justify making cars with top speeds of 120 mph. Is going more than 80 mph for any driver really needed?

Perhaps these speed-restricted keys could also be given to those convicted of DUI , felons or general high-risk drivers. Insurance companies could give discounts to car owners who have traded in their regular key for the speed-restricted keys.

John Foitle
Overland Park

Paint odor from plant

Winter is finally over, so we may at long last open our windows, sit on our decks or look forward to yard work. That is unless you happen to live near the Ford plant in Claycomo. What many times greets us is the sickening smell of paint. Many days it’s so strong that enjoying any time outside is impossible.

Ford says it meets EPA standards. Tell that to the hundreds of people who live in this area who can’t even open a window without the stench of paint coming in.

L.M. Kump
Liberty

KC builds hybrids, too

A letter writer encouraged Lewis Diuguid to purchase a Toyota Prius hybrid. Here is a better suggestion. Let’s encourage him to purchase a Kansas City-built hybrid. He has his choice of three: Chevy Malibu, Saturn Aura or a Ford Escape. This will help support the livelihood of many Kansas City Star readers who are local Ford and GM employees.

Needless to say, purchasing a Toyota, built here in the U.S. or overseas, does little to support the area auto workers. Many of these employees, including myself, subscribe to or purchase The Star daily. The loss of my job at the GM plant would surely force me to tighten my budget, with my subscription to The Star probably being one of the first cuts.

Mike Thomas
Lawson, Mo.

Quality vehicles

Congratulations to Ford Motor Co. and all of its workers for the fabulous quality reports issued recently on Ford cars and trucks (10/17, Business, “U.S. lags Asian brands; But the Consumer Reports survey shows Toyota’s scores are falling”).

I am very proud to be a Ford dealer and to be associated with an American company that is working very hard with its customers, employees and dealers to produce a quality product.

I only hope the press will report this great information with the same enthusiasm as it has negative news. I know it is said that “bad news sells,” but I think that “good news creates pride” in each other and our country. We have a lot to be proud of.

Phil Smith
Executive vice president, general manager
Dick Smith Ford
Kansas City

Don’t blame the user

Ted Weber (7/25, Letters, “User error?”) suggests the fault lies with the owner of the domestic car.

The old argument about “domestic” vs. “import” (it used to be “American” vs. “foreign”) has cropped up at an interesting time for me.

I check my oil every time I get gasoline. I get my oil changed regularly. I do not defer maintenance.

These things have worked well for my 1989 Honda Accord with 170,000 miles on it, which still takes the 90-mile round-trip commute daily in fine shape. I have about $1,000 in this car, and it will sell for more than that.

It didn’t seem to work so well with my 1997 Ford F-150, which needs a new engine at 60,000 miles. The cost: $3,500 for a rebuilt engine installed. I had $5,700 in this car. Its resale value in good running order was less than my Honda.

Don’t tell me it’s user error.

Chris Johnston
Ottawa, Kan.