PC Mondeo 'Knocking copy'

[clivea]

I enjoyed reading the test between the new Mondeo and the Passat, but why oh why can't journalists resist the tempation to implicitly knock Fords? Why is it necessary to refer to the Mondeo asa 'Sales Reps' car when registration figures would probably indicate that more BMW 3 series are used by bsuiness users, including sales reps. I have now owned a Mondeo of each series and my first one was bought because the safety, security, roadholding etc were beyond even that of my BMW 3 series. When I worked at Rolls-Royce several programe managers opted for the Mondeo estates in preference to Volvo V70s. Their reasons were that the Mondeo was an all round better car than the V70, and no it was'nt down to Gordons taxation regime which had not started to bite in 1999.

There is a similar anti-Ford tendency to call the X-type Jagaur a Mondeo parts bin, but rarely do we hear of Audis as being a VW/Seat/Skoda parts bin. And who has even seen the Lexus IS 200 referred to as a re-badged Toyota, which it is.

Come on PC do what you are good at and be objective. My wife is really upset that she is thought to be a sales rep!

Cheers

Other Clive

 

[rob_jax]

Colin,

The reasons why Ford in particular is tared with that brush are many:

1. Sales representatives and service engineers need a reliable car that will cope with high mileage and also be cheap to repair - so what's wrong with that?

2. In the 1970's and 80's Ford UK had a policy of enormous discounts to fleet buyers, with a carefully thought out marketing programme - that promoted the idea whereby the sales rep had the "L" specification, the area manager the "XL" and the sales manager the "Ghia" - and that status marketing policy is still in many people's minds - linking certain Ford cars with fleet purchases

As an aside - one of the best

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello other Clive,

I have had several models of Saabs (and Renault) over the years, and found them to be very comfortable, and I learnt a salutary lesson about having to compromise.

For business reasons I had to change to a Ford Focus a few years back. I am not about to knock Fords for the sake of it but I do have one problem that has always raised its head when ever I have had to use one. The Seats! - for some reason when ever I have had to drive a Ford - I end up with lower back ache. It may be coincidence but I do not fit Fords idea of a human back shape.

Apart from that, these days they are generally well screwed together, and technically they have pushed forward in both competency and reliability.

My brother had been driving Jaguars for some time, and he noticed some real improvements when Ford took over the Marque - switches had a better feel and action, reliability improved, fewer squeaks and rattles after 100K or so.

I had similar comments from friends who ran Volvos, so whilst these other marques may have models that are basically Fords, now be seen as parts bin models.

I am now back in Saabs, but even the newer GM based models are not as comfortable as the older models. Oh for my beloved 1986 Saab 9000i - any one got a one tucked away still wrapped up as a never used unwanted present?