New Heated Tailgates on Ford Pickups

[sawtooth4x4]

 

[sixstringsteve]

That being said, I've got a lot of respect for Ford. They're putting out some great stuff lately, and they didn't take any bailout $. That's a company I can get behind.

 

[sawtooth4x4]

The Raptor is a sweet truck. I would totally buy one, if it didn't cost half of a house.

 

[B2-Bomber]

That being said, I've got a lot of respect for Ford. They're putting out some great stuff lately, and they didn't take any bailout $. That's a company I can get behind.

I got a bumper sticker from the Ford dealer a couple years ago (in the peak of the bailouts). the bumper sticker read "FORD built without your tax dollars"

 

[rholbrook]

I love my EcoBoost

 

[B2-Bomber]

off-subject. but do you experience the problems with your eco-boost. that are outlined in the current law-suit?

 

[TurboMinivan]

That being said, I've got a lot of respect for Ford. They're putting out some great stuff lately, and they didn't take any bailout $. That's a company I can get behind.

I got a bumper sticker from the Ford dealer a couple years ago (in the peak of the bailouts). the bumper sticker read "FORD built without your tax dollars"

It amazes me that people actually say this. Whether you call it a bailout or not, a government loan is a government loan... and no matter how you spin it, we taxpayers are the ones footing the bill. Here is part of an interesting article from Forbes in August 2012 on the topic:

Automakers' Report Card: Who Still Owes Taxpayers Money? The Answer Might Surprise You

It’s been three years since General Motors and Chrysler filed for bankruptcy, but with the political season in full swing, the two presidential candidates have put the auto industry bailouts back in the public eye, at least through the November election. Yet there’s only one Detroit automaker still in hock to U.S. taxpayers and – guess what? – it’s not GM or Chrysler.

Ford Motor owes the government $5.9 billion it borrowed in June 2009, the same month GM filed for bankruptcy. By Sept. 15, Ford needs to start paying that money back. In a government filing, the carmaker said $577 million is due within the next year, and the full amount must be paid off by June 15, 2022.

The Obama Administration, dreaming of a million electric cars on the road by 2015, loaned Ford the money to help it pay for development of hybrids and EVs, and to retool its factories to produce smaller, cleaner vehicles. While not characterized as a “bailout” by any means, let’s be honest: Ford’s loan – received at a critical time when other sources of financing weren’t available to automakers or their suppliers – no doubt helped the carmaker survive the industry crisis and contributed to its strong market position today, especially after the Obama Administration finalized tougher fuel economy rules this week.

Indeed, lest we forget: the feds in 2009 were handing out fistfuls of cash to bolster the auto industry, beyond the $64 billion used to bail out GM and Chrysler. Treasury staked another $18.7 billion on rescuing the companies’ auto lending affiliates (it still owns 74% of Ally, formerly known as GMAC). And the Energy Department doled out billions more to Ford and others to preserve auto-making jobs in the U.S. while steering the industry toward cleaner vehicles.

“We have an historic opportunity to help ensure that the next generation of fuel-efficient cars and trucks are made in America,” President Barack Obama said in a statement on June 23, 2009 announcing the loans to Ford and two others. Energy Secretary Steven Chu added: “By supporting key technologies and sound business plans, we can jumpstart the production of fuel efficient vehicles in America. These investments will come back to our country many times over – by creating new jobs, reducing our dependence on oil, and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.”

No company was a bigger beneficiary of the DOE’s green car funding initiative than Ford. It received two-thirds of the $8.8 billion loaned under the department’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program. Congress appropriated $25 billion for that program in late 2008, during the waning days of the Bush Administration, around the same time the auto company CEOs were getting grilled on Capitol Hill.

(rest of article not posted here)

To say that Ford has been building cars without any taxpayer money is a flat-out lie.

 

[Johnny Quest]

.....heated tailgate? why?

 

[Rot Box]

I added the heated tailgate option to my 91 F350. It's the kind that plumbs into the heater core for heat. The only issues I have is when you need it most (winter) the truck wont start :-\

 

[Kevin B.]

.....heated tailgate? why?

For sitting on at tailgaters?

 

[N-Smooth]

I was going to say, didn't they borrow like $6B?

Regardless, when I was looking at trucks I didn't think for a second that spending $10k more on a Ford would "fix" the bailout situation. Maybe I'm crazy...?

 

[Spork]

So when are they going to bring the Global Ranger to the US?

 

[Kevin B.]

So when are they going to bring the Global Ranger to the US?

Presumably when they find a way around the Chicken Tax like they did with the Transit, or start producing the truck in the US.

 

[rholbrook]

off-subject. but do you experience the problems with your eco-boost. that are outlined in the current law-suit?

None, love it.

 

[TRD270]

I loved my eco-boost, wish I could have kept both. But the Jeep is a better fit for me right now.

 

[Tee]

To say that Ford has been building cars without any taxpayer money is a flat-out lie.

No offense, but your article is, well, somewhat biased from the liberal media that thinks Obama is a GOD. Yes Ford is using government loans, and paying them back, they are at a substantial higher interest rate than the money GM and DC got in the bail out. And they put EVERYTHING on the line to secure those loans prior to the 08 financial crisis, they could see the free money 2nd 125% equity loan bubble ready to pop and prepared!

Not sure about DC (at the time, Fiat now), but the major stake holders of GM were told to FO by the .gov They lost everything and Obama gave the lions share of GM to the Union that was sinking GM. GM and DC got preferential, renegotiated Union contracts as part of the bail out. Ford was not so lucky, as they refused the BAIL out money. And chose to risk their earlier plan. Which gives them the right in my mind to tout that they are not a part of the .gov bail out.

And I am not a Ford guy. Every vehicle on my property is/was made by DC, 2 Dodges and one Jeep. Of coarse all of them were made before 07

 

[Caleb]

It amazes me that people actually say this. Whether you call it a bailout or not, a government loan is a government loan... and no matter how you spin it, we taxpayers are the ones footing the bill. Here is part of an interesting article from Forbes in August 2012 on the topic:



To say that Ford has been building cars without any taxpayer money is a flat-out lie.

Sorry, two completely different things. The green car fund initiative and the the bailout. Saying Ford has a high interest loan out is true, saying Ford took money from the bailout is not true. No offense intended but you sound like a desperate DC salesman

I refuse to own anything DC or GM anymore. Those companies would no longer exist if it weren't for the bailout. If I bought another truck today, it would either be another Toyota or a Ford, I wouldn't even waste my time looking at the others even if they were thousands cheaper.