Back from vacation, getting back to MyFordDreams

I've been on vacation and didn't have Internet access while out on Cape Cod. Sure I could have trudged up to one of many locations with free WiFi, but it was a vacation to get away from everything. But I'm home, and going to be getting back to blogging. I've got some observations and comments based on my vacation and interaction with a lot of very interesting folks.

I don't usually mention what I do in social situations, the Auto Blogging or my day job. But this year there were a lot of situations where friends and aquaintences started talking about cars and the auto industry and I couldn't resist adding my perspective, especially on several important subjects like the "Quality gap perception" and marketing towards the LGBT community.

I like to keep MyFordDreams about the cars and avoid "social issues", god knows I've got flack over the years when I've touched on certain issues. But this years trip opened my eyes and the eyes of those I talked to.

I go to Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod a couple of times a year with a big group of friends and most of these folks are LGBT folks. And you'd be surprised how many of them are real car enthusiasts. Some of my friends are real gear heads, restoring classic cars and modifying and personalizing their newer cars. Many have brand loyalties based on perceptions of quality and on real life performance. Some LGBT folks buy vehicles based on how community friendly they percieve the company to be.

Some of my friends never knew I write about the industry or of my passion for FoMoCo, but when they found out they wanted to know my opinion on the perception of quality of the "Big 3" versus the competition. I was encouraged that MANY of them knew and appreciated the fact that Ford was the only domestic auto maker that did not take Bailout Money or declare Bankruptcy.

I was talking to one fellow who was a native of Dublin Ireland, now working in Germany, and vacationing on Cape Cod. Our conversation was enlightening, because it was one of those rate moments when I was able to get a European perspective on Ford. His insight on how well Ford does in Europe confirmed what I've known for years, that Ford truly is a global company that can compete market by market with a completely comparable lineup, that in many segments is class leading. His comments on the European view of Ford in the US unfortunately were not as favorable and all too familiar to comments to folks I've known that own Honda/Acura, Volkswagen and other foreign competitors.

Over the next week, I'll try and post some pieces that will flesh out these conversations and hopefully dispell myths on all fronts. Myths like Ford quality is so much worse than that of foreign competition. Myths like Ford is a company that is not LGBT friendly. Myths like all LGBT folks drive Miatas and Mini Coopers.

So, while I've been silent these last 2 weeks, I'm hoping that you'll come back for these and more opinion pieces.