Inadequately researched article attempts to attack success of Ford GT

[AZGT]

(1) If your assessment of these folks is correct, they AREN'T real "friends", AZ.

(2) The way I look at it, the intent of that comment depends on the way it's said ... in what context ... and who's saying it. It's pretty easy to tell when somebody's really just horsin' around, don't you think?

This ends today's class in "personal relations 401." Please hand in your assignments for today on your way out. And, don't forget the quiz on Monday...

1. So true. I tell my kids the way to know the difference between a friend and an acquaintance is to think of who you would call if you were stuck somewhere a hundred miles away - who would come get you.

2. Well, usually when people know you drive a GT and have a general life style that goes with it, there is an impression that you have extra money up your (here it is again) Patootie that you don't need, so you might as well share it with them because they don't have enough. Funny, last time I called Bill Gates he didn't follow up by sending any cash my way that he doesn't need .......... (Hello Bill - one more chance or I might cut you out of my friend / acquaintance circle).

I am studying for Monday's quiz - I need to get a better grade for PR401. :cheers No, wait. Not till Monday morning.

 

[Kingveloce]

So no worries here mate, generalizations are part of life (with a "z", not an "s", according to the Oxford Dictionary, http://www.askoxford.com/results/?v...h=generalization&branch=&textsearchtype=exact ).

A Patootie is what you are sitting on, my friend, to write this response. :cheers

Ah, but in the UK we spell it 'generalisations'.
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutspelling/ize?view=uk

 

[Empty Pockets]

Ah, but in the UK we spell it 'generalisations'.
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutspelling/ize?view=uk

Just like "check" = "cheques", and, "center" = "centre" ... right King?

And besides - who cares? "Spell check" is fer sissies!:lol We all get the drift w/o "A"+ spelling anyway.

I hafta edit my own spellin' all th' time no matter WHICH set of rules I'm goin' by - and I don't catch 99% of the errors regardless! That's what bein' dyslexic does fer yuh. :eek ('Coarse, I hafta admit, a lotta my misspells ARE dunn on purpose! :biggrin 'Drives Bony nuts!:rofl )

 

[SYCO GT]

So, I went to Hot Import Nights Pomona last night, never been, always curious.

And I get asked, "So, is reliability on the Ford GT as bad as Jeremy Clarkson makes it out to be?"

This is not the first time I have been asked something to that effect by the younger crowd. Sure, we all know what a bunch of hog wash it is, but you simply cannot underestimate the power of television and print media on people. I mean, many will rarely experience a GT, so perhaps that is all the info they will get until an owner has a chance to share his positive experiences...

 

[StuM]

Ahh, how unfortuate - Z8 and FGT

I guess, I too am unfortunate to hold the keys to a Z8 and FGT, plus a new ZO6, Superformance "Cobra", etc. I didn't realize I had such poor taste or choice in several crappy supercars. Then again, I enjoy them all and like many of you, get the thumbs-up whenever I'm out in one. :thumbsup
I'll keep buying based on my own perceptions of value and "fun factor". Let the poor sole, who calls himself an automotive writer, sit and only dream of what he can't own. :thumbsdow

 

[Kingveloce]

MSN response

I've just had this reply from Tom Evans of MSN Cars to my observations that most of the problems Jeremy Clarkson had with his GT were self inflicted.


Thanks for your feedback.

Much of what you say is true - but the fact is reports of reliability problems with the car are quite common and certainly not only from JC. Certainly for one of the newest cars on the list, unreliability may have been an acceptable part of the supercar deal, I'm not sure it is now.

As I said in my piece, I think it's brilliant and thrilling to look at and great that Ford came up with such a car - but I'm not sure it fulfils its promise.

Re libel, fortunately comment is still free - otherwise all journalists in the world would be in the poor house by now and car magazines and websites would be made up solely of reprinted press releases.

Thanks again and I hope you keep coming back to MSN Cars - even if we do occasionally write things you don't agree with.

Best wishes

Tom
@MSN Cars

So there you have it guys, reliability problems with the car are quite common and the GT doesn't fulfill its promise. Tom @ MSN is right and we're clearly all wrong.

 

[todd]

Some people can't see the forest because of the trees.:frown

 

[AtomicGT]

Ah, but in the UK we spell it 'generalisations'.
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutspelling/ize?view=uk

That drives us freaking nuts over here, and it is your dictionary that has the "z". I guess it is British linguistic laziness! There is no "generalisations" in hte Oxford Dictionary. :thumbsup

 

[AtomicGT]

The best thing to do is not to get to upset with this form of journalism, (here the "s" is okay), and to realize it is from British Journalists, and if they are anything close to as screwed up as US journalists, then smile at them, have a pint of Good Irish Guinness and offer several endearing hand or finger jestures along with a big smile. Easiest option is to completely ignore them, don't waste you time with their dialogue and magazines ("z" not "s" is needed here), and remember that a negative article sells 100 x a positive article. Just wait for the upcoming US Presidential Elections if you don't believe that statistic! :thumbsup :lol

 

[Neilda]

It was always my understanding that it was us who invented the language - and it became slightly more coloquial over the pond... :lol

I had a reply too:

"Thanks for your feedback Neil – always nice to hear from a regular reader!

Much of what you say is true – but the fact is reports of reliability problems with the car are quite common and, certainly for one of the newest cars on this list, this may have been an acceptable part of the supercar deal in the past, I'm not sure it is now.

As I said in my piece, I think it's brilliant and thrilling to look at and great that Ford came up with such a car - but I'm not sure it fulfils its promise.

Thanks again and I hope you keep coming back to MSN Cars - even if we do occasionally write things you don't agree with."

To which I replied:

"Tom,

You've clearly not owned any supercars- I have.

I've had Astons, Lamborghini etc and they all had problems. However the Ford GT has not - I've raced it around Le Mans and around Goodwood, and I've driven it at normal speeds all through France and a fair bit of the UK too. All without a problem. I also know many of the GT owners in the UK and many in America too - these cars are bullet proof.

'It's thrilling to look at' and you're 'not sure it fulfils its promise'?! I'm not sure you've got your facts straight on this one! It's promise is one of the world's best handling and performing cars - it delivers. It has a Ford truck engine - a reliable one.

A failed supercar? A failed piece of journalism if you ask me.........."

The guy's a wanker. :biggrin

 

[Kingveloce]

That drives us freaking nuts over here, and it is your dictionary that has the "z". I guess it is British linguistic laziness! There is no "generalisations" in hte Oxford Dictionary. :thumbsup

This is according to Wikipedia...
But the OED might be fighting a losing battle. The -ise form is used by the British government and is more prevalent in common usage within the UK today; the ratio between -ise and -ize stands at 3:2 in the British National Corpus[26]. The OED spelling (which can be indicated by the registered IANA language tag en-GB-oed), and thus -ize, is used in many British-based academic publications, such as Nature, the Biochemical Journal and The Times Literary Supplement. In Australia and New Zealand -ise spellings strongly prevail; the Australian Macquarie Dictionary, among other sources, gives the -ise spelling first. Conversely, Canadian usage is essentially like American, although -ise is occasionally found in Canada. Worldwide, -ize endings prevail in scientific writing and are commonly used by many international organizations.

Atomic: let's just agree that English is not the same everywhere - both spellings are right, not wrong.:thumbsup

 

[Kingveloce]

MSN - more silly news?

And this is the reply I sent to Tom Evans.

Dear Tom

Comment is indeed free, but factual inaccuracies can still get you into trouble. I'd love to hear some of these 'quite common' reliability problems with the car. Give me chapter and verse and I'll withdraw my comments. In the meantime, as far as I and the vast majority of the 4000 plus owners are concerned the GT more than fulfils its promise.

I guess my real complaint is that MSN's continual use of Top Ten This and Top Ten That is lazy journalism. And by coming up with a headline that claims to list The Top Ten Failed Supercars (or whatever) means you have to find enough examples to match the headline, even if that means bending the truth to do so.

Regards



Neil is right, the guy's a wanker (olde English word which suggests he might have trouble finding a girlfriend) :lol

 

[AtomicGT]

Nielda

:wink :biggrin You ROCK! Well said and the fact that you are English adds ballast to your comments! See you Wednesday, chromes GT radiator caps packed already!

Once a Wanker always a Wanker! :cheers

I still believe I am correct in the usage of "z" in "generalizations". Will dizcuzz over a dezent pint in Mayfair. :banana

 

[BigsGT]

So, I went to Hot Import Nights Pomona last night, never been, always curious.

And I get asked, "So, is reliability on the Ford GT as bad as Jeremy Clarkson makes it out to be?"

This is not the first time I have been asked something to that effect by the younger crowd. Sure, we all know what a bunch of hog wash it is, but you simply cannot underestimate the power of television and print media on people. I mean, many will rarely experience a GT, so perhaps that is all the info they will get until an owner has a chance to share his positive experiences...

Many people can only regurgitate whatever it is they have recently read/heard. I couldn't care less what others think of me or anything I do or have. So long as it pleases me, I owe them no explanation. Reminds me of an old tastless joke...

If I were in this situation I would probably respond 'Yeah, these cars really suck, you're lucky you don't own one...' :rolleyes

 

[AtomicGT]

Best counter balance is an article published in a reputable journal pointing out the inaccuracies of the previous article. That is journalism counter-terrorism at its finest! :cheers

 

[SteveA]

Wasn't it Sir Winston Churchill that said something about the British and Americans being the same peoples only divided by a common language? LOL!

 

[fjpikul]

No, that was Bernerd Shaw as quoted in "Patton"

 

[06VistaBlueGT]

I got a reply from Mr. Evans. Not the brightest bulb if you ask me. I cut and pasted the email reply below: He pretty much is doing a standard reply to anyone who questions him.

Thanks for taking the time to give me your feedback Jeff -

Much of what you say is true - but the fact is reports of reliability problems
with the car are quite common and certainly not only from JC. Certainly for one
of the newest cars on this list, unreliability may have been an acceptable part
of the supercar deal in the past, I'm not sure it is now.

As I said in my piece, I think it's brilliant and thrilling to look at and great
that Ford came up with such a car - but I'm not sure it fulfils its promise.

Thanks again and I hope you keep coming back to MSN Cars - even if we do
occasionally write things you don't agree with. I will do a feedback compendium
on this subject shortly so stay tuned for that.

Best wishes,

Tom
@MSN Cars

There you have it. I'm not even an owner (but have driven one several times, but one a custom '06 Mustang GT), but I will stick up for this car. I love the Ford GT, and have debates with anyone at car shows who talk down to this car. As for Mr. Evans, I am done with reading ANYTHING he has to say. :cheers

 

[timcantwell]

I wonder what Mr. Evans drives. Perhaps a McLaren F1 is his everyday driver, and all other cars pale in comparison? I think not, perhaps he is a small, jealous sort of chap who's envious cravings drive him to criticize all that most us covet. Oh well, it takes all types to make the world go round...

 

[FlorIdaho Chris]

I wonder what Mr. Evans drives. Perhaps a McLaren F1 is his everyday driver, and all other cars pale in comparison? I think not, perhaps he is a small, jealous sort of chap who's envious cravings drive him to criticize all that most us covet. Oh well, it takes all types to make the world go round...

Tim- He drives a POS French Peugeot. Here's a repost of the photo from the first page of this thread. What self respecting Englishman would drive a frog-mobile? Explains a lot IMHO.