Ford Motor Company close down Newford Parts!

[Smudger]

Ford have successfully closed down the website of Newford Parts in Chorley, they also had the domain name handed to them by the courts.

Ford claim that the website had unfairly included its name and used the marques 'fame, history and reputation' to boost its own business.

This comes on the back of fellow forum member 'Mexico City' having success against them in the County Court a few weeks ago...

I wonder if Ford saw this and decided to act to save their good name.

[awesome]

just posted this on 105speed web site as there was some one singing the New****parts guys praises when some one slagged them off.

[rwdrs]

I wonder if Ford saw this and decided to act to save their good name.

What good name would that be then???
If they were any "good", they'd be supplying enthusiasts with parts for their cars themselves...

[Smudger]

That's a discussion for another thread... I'd be happy to contribute and make a mockery of your idea if you care to start one though.

[dustydog]

Web site still up and running tho

[Mexico City]

Very satisfying to see this post. Got the cheque from him last week so now not sure if it will clear! I will let you all know in a few days. At the end of the day it serves him right if he loses everything

[rwdrs]

That's a discussion for another thread... I'd be happy to contribute and make a mockery of your idea if you care to start one though.

What Ford doing what other manufacturers are happy to do, provide parts for products they've sold, I agree totally nuts that? All manufacturers are required to do so for a minimum of ten years anyway.
If Ford had any sense they'd be doing it right now, creaming off some of the money that people seem to be willing to pay for parts, e.g. 5 quid + p&p for a bolt ? Especially as they are closing plants left, right and centre, with the european car market down the toilet and no recovery in sight. Ford with its high volume Europe and North America centric sales bias. No, they'd rather close plants down than find ways of taking money off existing customers, really "good" business strategy that don't you think???

[morcheen]

i'm amazed someone even has a good word for him must be a family member

[Smudger]

What Ford doing what other manufacturers are happy to do, provide parts for products they've sold, I agree totally nuts that? All manufacturers are required to do so for a minimum of ten years anyway.
If Ford had any sense they'd be doing it right now, creaming off some of the money that people seem to be willing to pay for parts, e.g. 5 quid + p&p for a bolt ? Especially as they are closing plants left, right and centre, with the european car market down the toilet and no recovery in sight. Ford with its high volume Europe and North America centric sales bias. No, they'd rather close plants down than find ways of taking money off existing customers, really "good" business strategy that don't you think???

WHICH OTHER MANUFACTURERS?

Tell me the car manufacturers who cater for their 40 year old models please.

Why do you think there are a plethora of specialist classic car dealers out there filling the gap the major dealers left behind.

As for people paying £5.00 for a bolt - they are the ones who are nuts!

[Duratec John]

What Ford doing what other manufacturers are happy to do, provide parts for products they've sold, I agree totally nuts that? All manufacturers are required to do so for a minimum of ten years anyway.
If Ford had any sense they'd be doing it right now, creaming off some of the money that people seem to be willing to pay for parts, e.g. 5 quid + p&p for a bolt ? Especially as they are closing plants left, right and centre, with the european car market down the toilet and no recovery in sight. Ford with its high volume Europe and North America centric sales bias. No, they'd rather close plants down than find ways of taking money off existing customers, really "good" business strategy that don't you think???

A major car manufacture is never going to get a return on the cost of tooling up to make a limited number of classic car parts, so it's not good business strategy at all.

[mrwatt]

WHICH OTHER MANUFACTURERS?

Tell me the car manufacturers who cater for their 40 year old models please.

Why do you think there are a plethora of specialist classic car dealers out there filling the gap the major dealers left behind.

As for people paying £5.00 for a bolt - they are the ones who are nuts!

BMW, they have an amazing amount of spares available also no dearer than any other manufacturer.
They even get parts remade from the original tooling.

[rwdrs]

A major car manufacture is never going to get a return on the cost of tooling up to make a limited number of classic car parts, so it's not good business strategy at all.

Most of the German manufacturers, especially Mercedes-Benz, they say they can provide any part for any car they have made.
If it is so unviable, how do companies and increasingly, individuals, get batches of inner wings, outer wings, bumpers, indicators etc made up for the Mk1 and Mk2 Escort and yet Ford, who own the intellectual property rights and were producing the panels into the Nineties, cannot make a viable go of it. People would happily pay that bit extra for genuine "well fitting" parts, rather than what some pattern part manufacturers offer currently.

[Alan]

WHICH OTHER MANUFACTURERS?

Tell me the car manufacturers who cater for their 40 year old models please.

Why do you think there are a plethora of specialist classic car dealers out there filling the gap the major dealers left behind.

As for people paying £5.00 for a bolt - they are the ones who are nuts!

Porsche and VW are two, BMW as previously mentioned - yes there's a theme their German and forward thinking, When you buy into the marque you buy into the family.

Like us in a way but the manufacturer doesn't support the family ! or do they ? How come they still produce green RS 2000 track rod ends, confused - me to.

[Tim]

ford do still produce a fair bit for mk1/2 escorts but its finding someone with the access and time to get the parts.

[Smudger]

Most of the German manufacturers, especially Mercedes-Benz, they say they can provide any part for any car they have made.
If it is so unviable, how do companies and increasingly, individuals, get batches of inner wings, outer wings, bumpers, indicators etc made up for the Mk1 and Mk2 Escort and yet Ford, who own the intellectual property rights and were producing the panels into the Nineties, cannot make a viable go of it. People would happily pay that bit extra for genuine "well fitting" parts, rather than what some pattern part manufacturers offer currently.

Yes, the Germans do seem to do things differently yet they are the ones doing the most to drive their classics off the road!

To answer your last question. Perhaps because they are car manufacturers and spend most of their time worrying about selling their current range of cars and selling the parts for current vehicles and not something they gave up on 20, 30, 40 and even 50 years ago.

These 'individuals' you refer to are simply getting the Chinese to copy things made by Ford all those years ago, they are not made to any standards (BS /TuV) and their longevity is a matter for speculation. From what I've heard the quality is far from perfect too. I am guessing that Ford probably value space a lot more than a few obsolete parts. After all, they are not situated in back street industrial estates, they have prime high cost properties to pay for.

By far the best catered for group of classic car owners is the BMC/BL ones. British Motor Heritage have done wonders for the owners of the likes of Mini and MG and it is somewhat ironic that they survive yet the companys who made the cars originally have long gone. And remember, it was started in 1975, which iirc was well before any Ford owner thought of his car as a 'classic' - it was just an old Ford!

I guess at that time all the Mk1 Escort tooling would still have been available to buy from Ford had someone had the forsight to buy it and set up a company selling parts... Then again, who would have bought them? They were still available from the dealer!

It's no good turning up 35+ years too late and saying that we should have done this and Ford should have done that, Ford were too busy dealing with the unions and strikes to think about future classics. To be fair, even in the 90s the Escorts would NEVER have been perceved as a future classic commanding the prices they do nowadays - Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing?