Ford Explore recall.

EstorilM wrote:

dodge guy wrote:

troubledwaters wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
Yep. And despite my screen name I have owned Fords all my life. I was a Mopar tech at a dealer for 20 years, hence the screen name. But the way Fords rot away and/or start to rot after 3 years has me in a Ram Megacab for my next truck!

I laughed so hard when I read your post I blew coffee out my nose. You're afraid of rot away so you're buying a Ram!.

Yep! I think you are thinking of mid 90's early 2000's Rams. The ones from the last 10 years seem to be holding up! I haven't seen any rust under those when they come in like the Fords do.
So yes.

Ever since RAM went independent from Dodge their QC has been really impressive (started a couple years before the split actually).

I have no dog in this fight, but I manage a restoration shop and have lots of experience with all vehicles (and came about a pen-stroke from buying a '14 RAM 1500 Laramie Longhorn).

They're definitely the most finely-tuned trucks out there, the approach to engineering and QC / long-term reliability / testing is very good. More like a higher-end lux car than a truck.

Too bad the nice ones are ~50k.

I really do love the IRS though - everyone thought they were crazy for introducing that a few years ago, now it's a major selling-point that others are copying. Plus it enabled them to use a modified version of the grand cherokee's active-level air suspension.

Anyways back on topic - I'm sure the explorer is a great vehicle, but I lost a lot of respect for them after copying jaguar / land rover designs almost consecutively with the explorer (range rover, range rover sport) edge (LR3 / lr4, range rover, including the lettering on the hood, signature LR "floating roof" blackout pillars, etc) and fusion (Aston Martin, Jag, headlights grill etc). I don't even think they're hiding it anymore. Maybe a little revenge for poor sales when Ford used to own jag / lr? ;)

I just don't like the car-like platform mostly. But for its current market segment and target audience, it's a great seller (always has been, always will be) and I'm sure people get a lot of bang-for-the-buck, especially with the ecoboost engine.

Ram may be its own brand now but in no way is independent from the rest of old Chrysler with respect to corporate culture, engineering, quality or otherwise. If you are seeing improvements in quality it is due to the general efforts to improve quality corporate wide. Not some change of direction because of the brand restructuring.