I drove the cheap Chinese cars that are illegal in the USA. Now I know why

[Dr Strangelove]

Ford says ‘no damn way’ Canada should drop tariffs on Chinese EVs

Give your enemy dilemmas, not problems.

[al_keda]

If Ford had any vision he'd see Canadian workers could build Chinese EVs using Canadian materials for the Canadian market.

And cut the US out of everything.

[Dr Strangelove]

Chasing losses? He is so sunk with the industry it is like an expensive glass chandelier over his head. It came with the place and he has to dance with the one that brung ya, and crazy enuff that crowd doesn't take to change. It think the word is conservative.

No, they will never go for that willingly but if they know the fix is in, and so far Trump has told everyone upfront it is America 1st. He will gutt the integrated auto industry and sell it for parts and crypto to the highest bidder.

What Ford needs is vision of how to bridge that divide and that would take the feds, prodded by the provinces, to make a federally funded national automotive retraining program. Transition to a new economy that would be in partnership with new trading ALLIES who also need a large EV market. Now where could we find them?

[al_keda]

Most of our allies saw the EV revolution coming, and have already made accommodations to bring them in.

It's us, and specifically us in Alberta who are lagging. We could be digging up lithium and metals to make the future, but our Karen in Charge decided that free energy was hurting the view of the natural beauty.

[al_keda]

[Dr Strangelove]

[Dr Strangelove]

[al_keda]

Every time I take my truck to the shop, it's $2000

Took it in for a coolant flush to the dealer, and because the power steering pump is dying. Wanted the coolant flush because it's had no heat since they replaced the heater core 3000km ago. That cost $3500 because they had to pull the entire interior out, seats, trim, centre console, dashboard - all of it out in order to replace the heater core. My 1985 truck, I could undo two clamps, reach under the glove box and remove the heater core. $40, 20 minutes.

They can't replace the steering pump, because there are no parts in Canada (backordered due to tariffs), and won't install a pump from a wrecker. So they are trying to rebuild my pump. $1100.

They say the reason I have no heat is the heater core another dealer put in recently is bad. I took it to them right after they replaced it, and they replaced the thermostat, which did nothing. Now the place I took it to wants $3500 to replace the heater core again.

A new Chinese truck is looking mighty good right now. North American manufacturers are falling down on repair costs and labour. Why does it cost an hour time to diagnose my coolant flush? Just flush the fucking coolant! You fucking know that requires a vacuum method, because the heater core is the highest point in the loop, meaning any air in the system will never purge. Brilliant design. Why does it take an hour labour to diagnose the steering pump? You can turn the wheel and hear it shriek! Replace the fucking steering pump!

I'm not a fucking idiot. I've replace a dozon steering pumps in my own cars, and I'd do it myself if it weren't a foot of snow in my driveway. And I'd get a new OEM pump off Temu.

[al_keda]

I still don't have my truck. They will have had it a week. For a power steering pump that takes an hour to install.

Yay Ford.

[testerone]

Don't tell me that.
Takes my Wrangler half an hour to warm the interior. Poor dog sits on my lap and shivers. Soon as we're home he flops on top of a heat vent.