krisk
Well-Known Member
Here's my take on the whole recall and Ford quality gripes.
1. Our (myself included) perspective is skewed by our personal experience. If I get a car with a ton of problems and recalls, my perception is going to be that the quality of the brand is awful. If I get a car with no problems, alternatively, my perception is the quality of the brand is good. My Mustang was one of the first 2024 models produced, I picked it up 9/1/23, and it has been great. I've either had one or two previous recalls, neither of which were significant. My car is included in the current recall as well. I love the car, but if I had nothing but trouble since day one, as some people have, then I may be in the "I'll never own another Ford" camp like some of you.
2. The total number of recalls is not the entire story. Some are very minor, some are major. Some manufacturers may choose to let things ride in hopes they don't get forced to issue a recall; some may be proactive and issue a recall just to be safe. Using the number of recalls as the lone metric for ranking manufacturers is not likely to produce a complete picture of quality.
3. Nearly every manufacturer has products which seem to be nothing but trouble and others that have few problems. I had a 2023 BMW X3, which was wonderful. No recalls, dealer was great, maintenance included in the purchase, drove like a dream, and the only issue was the iDrive system and Carplay was very glitchy. Year 3 and 65k miles of ownership, it was leaking oil from the rear main seal. The car was great until it wasn't and then it required a very expensive fix. I traded it on a 2026 BMW X3. I had a 2017 Ram 2500 with a transmission go out twice before 75k miles, the a/c fan broke every 12 months and the EGR cooler blew at 50k miles and was not part of the powertrain warranty. My 1993 Ford Festiva blew the engine at under 60k miles. That car was a piece of junk. The point is, no manufacturer is immune to issues with their vehicles.
I check the reviews on independent review sites, such as Consumer Reports, before purchasing a vehicle to see what the predicted reliability and owner satisfaction are. FYI, the 2026 Mustang has a 50/100 (Average) predicted reliability and a 74/100 (Good) predicted owner satisfaction. It is rated as #8 of 9 (in the 4/5 seat sports car category), but is listed as a "CR Recommended" vehicle.
I completely get those who have had problem after problem with their Mustang never wanting to own another one, but I would guess that is not the norm given the number of Mustangs that Ford sells and the overall ratings. I've owned a 2019 and a 2024, and both have been great. My 2024 gets driven hard on the track, and it amazes me how well it holds up.
Buy the car you want and makes you feel better, but understand there is a risk that whatever you buy could be a lemon.
1. Our (myself included) perspective is skewed by our personal experience. If I get a car with a ton of problems and recalls, my perception is going to be that the quality of the brand is awful. If I get a car with no problems, alternatively, my perception is the quality of the brand is good. My Mustang was one of the first 2024 models produced, I picked it up 9/1/23, and it has been great. I've either had one or two previous recalls, neither of which were significant. My car is included in the current recall as well. I love the car, but if I had nothing but trouble since day one, as some people have, then I may be in the "I'll never own another Ford" camp like some of you.
2. The total number of recalls is not the entire story. Some are very minor, some are major. Some manufacturers may choose to let things ride in hopes they don't get forced to issue a recall; some may be proactive and issue a recall just to be safe. Using the number of recalls as the lone metric for ranking manufacturers is not likely to produce a complete picture of quality.
3. Nearly every manufacturer has products which seem to be nothing but trouble and others that have few problems. I had a 2023 BMW X3, which was wonderful. No recalls, dealer was great, maintenance included in the purchase, drove like a dream, and the only issue was the iDrive system and Carplay was very glitchy. Year 3 and 65k miles of ownership, it was leaking oil from the rear main seal. The car was great until it wasn't and then it required a very expensive fix. I traded it on a 2026 BMW X3. I had a 2017 Ram 2500 with a transmission go out twice before 75k miles, the a/c fan broke every 12 months and the EGR cooler blew at 50k miles and was not part of the powertrain warranty. My 1993 Ford Festiva blew the engine at under 60k miles. That car was a piece of junk. The point is, no manufacturer is immune to issues with their vehicles.
I check the reviews on independent review sites, such as Consumer Reports, before purchasing a vehicle to see what the predicted reliability and owner satisfaction are. FYI, the 2026 Mustang has a 50/100 (Average) predicted reliability and a 74/100 (Good) predicted owner satisfaction. It is rated as #8 of 9 (in the 4/5 seat sports car category), but is listed as a "CR Recommended" vehicle.
I completely get those who have had problem after problem with their Mustang never wanting to own another one, but I would guess that is not the norm given the number of Mustangs that Ford sells and the overall ratings. I've owned a 2019 and a 2024, and both have been great. My 2024 gets driven hard on the track, and it amazes me how well it holds up.
Buy the car you want and makes you feel better, but understand there is a risk that whatever you buy could be a lemon.
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