I still do not buy that ford killed him for what he was doing. The way the entire thing went down he let it sound like thats what happened, but just put two and two together.
He worked at Kansas City Assembly according to his name tag on the provided website. And Kansas City Assembly is closing.........
OK- heres the lowdown- direct from a certain 'anonymous' source that knows exactly what went down(edited slightly to keep it anonymous):
quote:
<<<Things are still in a neutral state currently...... tried contacting several people within Ford to take this up from within, but everyone seems focused on keeping their jobs through the latest series of cuts. It reached a VP, and was passed along to Dennis Leonard......He is somehow in the Dealer Relations arena, and this would be right up his alley.... ..... was never "fired", just given the speech about how it would be a shame to lose a valuable employee ........if this continues. It took them two and a half years (and the Office of the General Counsel) to come to the decision that BOF is considered a chat room, and therefore against IT regulations to converse there from company computers, nothing to do with..... work ethic, poor job performance, or anything like that. End of story I can talk about.
As for KCAP closing, you would be wrong in making that assumption based upon the facts at hand. We recently purchased 900 more acres behind the plant (1200 total, largest plant layout in FORD), and plans I hear tell of include breaking down Buffalo Stamping and moving small parts presses out here, a supplier campus to be built, and several other improvements in the works.
If you google the Kansas City Assembly Plant and map it, you'll see the new road infrastructure behind the plant for the incoming trucks. It was built that way for a reason... For the future. There also are, to my knowledge, only three plants working Maximum Overtime right now, KTP, AAI and KCAP. Escapes and Mariners are still selling pretty well. I have heard that we are already slated for a Flex rebuild and the hottest newest products for 2011/2012. >>>
So...Kzinti was not fired, KCAP was not shut down, and hopes of getting this service outr there for all future Ford buyers is still there, but not moving at this time.
BTW- I did get a letter back from Darryl Hazel last week, at the end it went "I appreciate your suggestionabout providing owners with vehicle statusthroughout the build process similar to what Kzinti did for you when your Mustang was built. Thanks again for your comments and your loyalty to Ford." was suprised it was personal, not dictated, and hand signed- so at least for certain there is at least one VP that 100% for certain knows about Kzinti. I spoke with Dennis Leonard a few weeks ago for about 25 minutes- someone from Giombetti's office had him call me(guess teyre tired of the letters/emails) but he agreed that if he were buying, he'd like to know also...too bad he didnt converse directly with Kzinti...think I'll email Kzinti Mr.Leonards phone number, see if he wants to revive the conversations... :)
I just hope that all is going well or Kzinti and that the higher ups at Ford are rethinking their customer service attitude. I know he has helped more than just Mustang people. I just wish things at Ford would pickup and get moving again but there is alot of tough competition out there and alot of hard headed people who think buying a more expensive import makes them cool.
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08 GT500 vapor silver with all the options except for NAV.
He helped me a lot when I ordered my '06. He will be missed by a lot of guys that don't even know it yet. He was the right direction for Ford; could only be lots worse now without him.
I'm belated on this thread but have found the entire activity fascinating.
If I may offer a couple of examples, though from "back in the day", on the effectiveness of writing a good "nastygram" to the so-called powers that be:
When Ford first produced the Mustang I had a friend who resided in Reno. He visited the Ford showroom one Saturday afternoon in very casual dress and though he spent quite some time checking out the showroom display not one salesperson even acknowledged his presence. Now this friend had a long history of experience with motorsports and with public relations. He went home and wrote a smoking-hot letter describing the non-event and mailed it to Dearborn. Within a few days he received a phone call from the local dealership owner BEGGING him to, "Please come back and let me show you a car!"
Ten years later another friend who was stationed with the USAF in England placed an order for a new Mustang through the military sales program and entered the netherworld of the awaiting buyer. After quite some time of little and no information, put-offs and postponements he lost his temper, hunted through the unit until he found a typewriter with a dual color ribbon and proceeded: (in black type) date, address group (Ford head office in England), subject ("Mustang purchase"), reference line (order number and pertinent data). Continuing in black type; "Dear Sir," (shift to red half of the ribbon) "WHERE THE #*%$@ IS MY AUTOMOBILE?" and he signed it and mailed it off. Before the end of the week he received a call from the dealer asking him to, "Please come pick up your new Mustang!"
Throughout my life I have found that more often than not a properly written letter to the highest level possible will usually get someones immediate attention.
Without perfect credit, clout or endless funds. Us common folk should be able to order a car for a desent price without paying MSRP and dealer mark up. Which pisses me off big time. Dealer does not give a rats butt about us that will never service the car there ethier............
I want a new car bad, but afraid of the BS that goes with it. For the member that said there plenty GT's on the lot, BS.
Our state must have the least out there, the lots that do have 5K mark up's. So for now trying to order thru the military program.
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2006 Honda Ridgeline 2007 GT Prem 1997 GT Both coupes
ProStang, I was going to suggest you finagle a way to come to Daytona - the local dealers have plenty in stock - and then I checked to see where you are...........WOW! That would be a trip. Maybe you can work out a TDY to Patrick or JAX in Feb. and take in the 24-hours and pick up a new one while here - there are three dealers within a 20 mile radius of the speedway. P. W. (Wind Farce E-6 retired)
Thanks PW. Found out last night I have two X pins I can use, company and emploee friend. SO if that does not pan out. Will be forced to buy off the lot.
We just want to order our first car, having bought 5 used Stangs with varius issues. Time for us to fart first in the seat !!! LOL
Posts: 368
Joined: 5/17/2006 From: Raised in Chicago; living by St. Louis in Troy, IL Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: ProStang
Thanks PW. Found out last night I have two X pins I can use, company and emploee friend. SO if that does not pan out. Will be forced to buy off the lot.
We just want to order our first car, having bought 5 used Stangs with varius issues. Time for us to fart first in the seat !!! LOL
I see that you're in WA. I have no clue where TACO Washington is, but if that's an abbreviation for Tacoma , then you need to head down to All-Star Ford in Olympia. That's where I bought my GT after working with THREE other dealers, and they were great. I'm stationed at McChord and would be happy to hook you up with my salesman and sales manager -- they saved me almost $4K from what everyone else was demanding from me. PM me if you're interested.
Nick
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"I wanna see it painted, painted, painted . . . painted black."
BLACK '06 GT Coupe ALL BLACK interior (no IUP) C&L CAI w/SCT/Brenspeed tune Bassani SS axlebacks 18x9 DD Bullitts w/255/45/18 KDW 15% tint Sequential sigs 14" shorty
Hells bells Nick, any crew chief worth his salt should be able to get one of those big birds down here or anywhere else and tote the car home! Belay that, I know you've heard the old, old, story about the crew member that tried to bring home a car from TDY to Rhine Main and when they lost an engine his car was the first thing that went off the ramp of his C-130 into the north Atlantic. I got stuck in your transit lounge one time way back when between a space-a C-124 from Patrick and a VIP bird to Travis. Spent the whole weekend there waiting for a hop. Good luck on finding the ride you want, deals are getting better now as the '07's are due in and they want to get rid of the '06 inventory. Take care. P. W.
well i just came across this thread. And it is very interesting. I am one of the last few that Dr. K helped out over on the BOF. He was doing nothing wrong... if anyone has the USA today art. i keep hearing about, please send it my way...thank you
Sucks... and let me assure you your Ford Dealer could get you the info if they wanted...ours (Shamaley in El Paso) always can give us exact info when we've ordered our F350 and the Mustangs....
It's disappointing to hear people get the runaround...
BTW, even before we got our "connections" we would make it real simple when we purchased a Ford.
We'd walk in w/ the invoice info in hand (Edmunds) and simply say $500 over invoice / take it or leave it. That was the easiest way, at least that way there's no "haggling" (beware, however, you may want to confirm they're showing you the actual invoice).
It just is really depressing that purchasing a vehicle has to be so difficult in so many ways.
well i just came across this thread. And it is very interesting. I am one of the last few that Dr. K helped out over on the BOF. He was doing nothing wrong... if anyone has the USA today art. i keep hearing about, please send it my way...thank you
Sucks... and let me assure you your Ford Dealer could get you the info if they wanted...ours (Shamaley in El Paso) always can give us exact info when we've ordered our F350 and the Mustangs....
I think Kzinti had WAAAY more info than any dealer could get ahold of- dealers/regional guys have access thru 'oasis' or something like that, thats basically the same info the ERL phone line can get you...Kzinti was using 'tems' or something like that which is some kind of factory shopfloor level tracking system...asnd if a car wasnt in there, he would call someone at the plant and have them physically look to see where it was...one guys car was gone for a long while- found it had hood damaged, was awaiting repairs...that kind of info no dealer can get. Kzinti was more than one guy- he may have started the whole thing, but a LOT of others chipped in when they saw how appreciative customers were. fedex can track a friggin envelope for a customer in realtime to anywhere in the world, yet a ford customer is totally in the dark on one of the biggest purchases most folks ever make...Kzinti and crew saw the problem and tried to help- hopefully someone at ford will wake up and see that customers deserve better- the dealer aint building the car- let us get 'interactive' with our purchase like fedex/others hawking infinitely less expensive wares.
Just saw a post on BOF that Dr. K is back. Just purchased a new ride -- -07 Mustang.
Hope he's back for good.
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07 GT Premium Vert on order - triple black, 3.55, IUP, 5-speed, comfort package, wheel locks, side air bags, 17" machined wheels. VIN received 7/22 1ZVHT85H-75225908, dlvrd Aug 28
o.O Some of you guys waited 5 months for your order?!?!? I was about to put in an order for a car, but the sales manager at dealership made me an offer I couldn't refuse. A loaded car for the same price as the stripped down one I wanted to order.
I'm glad I took him up on it now...
The salesman told me it would take 6-8 weeks for a car to come in
-Viza
< Message edited by viza -- 9/26/2006 10:05:09 PM >
no- some waited 10 months- 8+ of which without even getting a VIN number from ford committing to build(allocated/priority 10 orders to boot) 05/early 06 you would NOT find a gt stick on a lot up north for less than 5~10 over sticker, and ordering thru ford sucked till Kzinti came along. plenty for everyone now(not counting shelbys of course- dealers are raping wildly on those- I'm betting a lot of ordered cars are gonna get dealer traded and disappear before the customer ever gets any info- thats where K was a buyers best friend- Only know of one case where his info showed sale of a ordered car that 'never got built'- aka sold out from under the guy that ordered/put deposit on it, and I'm sure that was only the tip of the iceberg...giving buyers ACTUAL STATUS of their orders is only fair, and a desperately needed improvement for those ordering high demand vehicles.
quote:
ORIGINAL: viza
o.O Some of you guys waited 5 months for your order?!?!? I was about to put in an order for a car, but the sales manager at dealership made me an offer I couldn't refuse. A loaded car for the same price as the stripped down one I wanted to order.
I'm glad I took him up on it now...
The salesman told me it would take 6-8 weeks for a car to come in
I waited 6 weeks for delivery, with general updates from the dealer.
Ford should have a web site where you enter your order code, and a map pops up to show where your car is in production. A slowly pulsating red dot on a map of the production line with explanations. You are here! That would make the process informative, educational, and entertaining. It takes a week to build a car. The rest is waiting in line. That's fine, if you know where you stand.
Printable Version
RE: Ford apparently squashed Kzinti... - 
, then you need to head down to All-Star Ford in Olympia. That's where I bought my GT after working with THREE other dealers, and they were great. I'm stationed at McChord and would be happy to hook you up with my salesman and sales manager -- they saved me almost $4K from what everyone else was demanding from me. PM me if you're interested. 
