[BC] Ford 2009 HD radio

[Rich Wood]

------ At 06:45 AM 1/8/2008, Bruce Doerle wrote: -------

>Radio Ink is reporting that Ford will be offering HD factory 
>installed standard or optional radio packages in 2009 model cars.
>
>http://www.radioink.com/HeadlineEntry.asp?hid=140612&pt=todaysnews

I wonder if Ford will handle the warranty issues when buyers bring 
the car back because the radio is defective. '"My stations between 
the stations' keep disappearing. I paid $500 for this thing and want 
it fixed." My guess is that it'll be pushed off onto dealers who will 
have to explain that it's the nature of the system and the radio 
isn't defective. Most of the new cars I've seen have the radio 
integrated into a master control system so the option will be to 
unplug the radio module and replace it with a standard radio module 
and give the owner something else to placate him.

My family is in the car business. I'm told there's very little profit 
in a new car, so anything not covered by the manufacturer's warranty 
isn't going to be replaced. I'm sure Ford will do significant testing 
in a variety of markets to see how this thing performs. They'll find 
the radio isn't defective and will refuse to cover it under the warranty.

That transfers the headache of an angry customer to the dealer. I 
took my Uncle for a ride to demonstrate my JVC. It's his opinion that 
the cars will come back.

Rich