Ford is suing companies for use of Mustang name?

  • Sponsors (?)


For the life of me, I can't figure out why this is not yet a sticky. I'm not usually the letter-writing, activist-type of person, but I hope we all realize how important this really is to our hobby. I posted a letter on the Ford Muscle site and followed the link to Ford's "contact us" site and left a letter there as well. I hope you can all find the time to do the same. Ford is attacking the very people who have helped us keep our Mustangs, and therefore our hobby, alive for many years. Let's face it, Mustangs were never meant to last 40 years in the first place. They were a cheap (and cheaply built) car meant only to draw younger buyers into the dealerships. Ford has NEVER supported the restoration hobby in any way whatsoever. To them the Mustang was simply a car, no more and no less then the LTD, Country Squire station wagon and the Pinto. When our cars reached a certain age, the parts were discontiued, period. By comparision go to a GM dealer and see how many parts you can buy for '60s GM muscle cars. I always shop the dealer first for parts for my wife's '69 427 Corvette and have yet to find anything they can't have the next day, and the quality is top notch. Ford is not just attacking the parts vendors, they are attacking you and me. Lets suppose your favorite vendor decides to simply pay the fine, change his business name and go on with business. Do you really think he's going to absorb the lawyer fees and fines out of his pocket? Would you? No, he'll raise prices and you and I will pay for Ford's greed. Better think about it...
 
Like many Mustang hobbyists, I was stunned that Ford would attack an industry that has created so much free brand equity for it over the years. When the 2005 Mustang was introduced, it was the only car Ford could sell. It was hot and it got people in the showrooms. I recall reading that the '05 was on dealer lots for 20 minutes on average before being sold. If the '05 Mustang was a success it is in no small part because of hobbyists such as myself and vendors specializing in classic Mustangs who have kept the Mustang legacy alive and given the car a near cult following. The '05 would never have been built and Ford would have had ZERO buzz these past 2 years had hobbyists like myself and after-market vendors not been investing time, money, and sweat into our classics. Although Ford got a free ride, it is now lashing out at the very people who have done so much for the Mustang and Ford to keep the legacy of the Mustang alive. Ford is squandering the brand equity we have worked so hard to build for it - for free no less. Ford obviously has no idea how injurious this will be to the brand.

Ford has done nothing to cultivate the Mustang legacy and has instead been riding on the coattails of after-market suppliers and hobbyists. If I want a replacement interior for my 1969 Mach 1, I know that I cannot get one from Ford. Rather, I need to get something made by TMI and which is sold by Mustangs Plus, Mustangs Unlimited, Laurel Mountain Mustang, etc. This has really given me a bitter taste in my mouth and I cannot see myself buying a product from Ford anytime soon.
 
zookeeper said:
For the life of me, I can't figure out why this is not yet a sticky. I'm not usually the letter-writing, activist-type of person, but I hope we all realize how important this really is to our hobby. I posted a letter on the Ford Muscle site and followed the link to Ford's "contact us" site and left a letter there as well. I hope you can all find the time to do the same. Ford is attacking the very people who have helped us keep our Mustangs, and therefore our hobby, alive for many years. Let's face it, Mustangs were never meant to last 40 years in the first place. They were a cheap (and cheaply built) car meant only to draw younger buyers into the dealerships. Ford has NEVER supported the restoration hobby in any way whatsoever. To them the Mustang was simply a car, no more and no less then the LTD, Country Squire station wagon and the Pinto. When our cars reached a certain age, the parts were discontiued, period. By comparision go to a GM dealer and see how many parts you can buy for '60s GM muscle cars. I always shop the dealer first for parts for my wife's '69 427 Corvette and have yet to find anything they can't have the next day, and the quality is top notch. Ford is not just attacking the parts vendors, they are attacking you and me. Lets suppose your favorite vendor decides to simply pay the fine, change his business name and go on with business. Do you really think he's going to absorb the lawyer fees and fines out of his pocket? Would you? No, he'll raise prices and you and I will pay for Ford's greed. Better think about it...

Amen, brother Zookeeper. I've also written Ford on the "Contact Us" page and posted comments on the Ford Muscle site. In addition, I've written paper letters to both William C. Ford and the Customer Relations Department. I hope everyone that reads this does the same and gets everyone they know to do it as well.

So who can make this a sticky, and why is it NOT a sticky yet???
 
I sent an email to John McCormick, the automotive correspondent for the Detroit News and suggested that he report on the story.

I think that Mustang owners should organize and turn out en masse at the Dream Cruise along Woodward Ave this year and generate a lot of bad PR for Ford.
 
According to the Hoofbeats article, even "Stangnet" isn't immune to this hostile action:

...it won't be as easy as replacing Mustang with Pony or Stang. According to Ryther, Ford is protecting those trademarks too.

I don't see GM screwing their loyal fan base. A quick search of Camaro and Corvette leads you to hundreds of sites with no official GM affiliation.

I think the only proper action for Ford to take would be to require unofficial uses of their trademarks to bear the following disclaimer: "Company Name is not sponsored by, endorsed or affiliated with the Ford Motor Company."

What's next, will Ford be suing Google (and all the other search engines) for all non-Ford sanctioned results that come up when seaching "their trademarks"? A quick wikipedia search of the word "Mustang" reveals a few other non-Ford meanings. Heck, it was a fricken horse long before Ford came along! What gives anyone the right to trademark a word used in common vernacular? I'm beginning to think that our trademark laws are too broad ranged.

Maybe Mr. Ford just has a genetic predisposition towards oppression and domination. It wouldn’t be the first time.
 
Platonic Solid said:
According to the Hoofbeats article, even "Stangnet" isn't immune to this hostile action:

...it won't be as easy as replacing Mustang with Pony or Stang. According to Ryther, Ford is protecting those trademarks too.QUOTE]

And what's next after that? going after every person with a screen name or email address with mustang, pony, stang etc?... If they are getting stupid enough to chase these companies, then I can even see that happening. Probably by pressuring ISPs and forum boards the same way the music industry has hounded for downloaders. If I hadn't already bought an 06 GT I would probably have gotten the Cooper S instead, I may still at this rate. Unfortunately I would also have to get rid of my Freestyle...

This is plain stupid, it smacks of a predatory class action in reverse. Why sue one company at a time when you can shake a bunch down for 5-10k by threatening to sue. It isn't "brand protection" at this point, it is finding some way to making Ford some extra cash.
 
Time to re-ignite my romance with my other favorite Musclecar - Hurst/Olds.

Now to find one! Anybody got a 1974 H/O Indy Pace car for sale cheap?

Here's one I had 20 years ago. I should never have let it go....

HOatshow.jpg
 

Attachments

  • HOatshow.jpg
    HOatshow.jpg
    77.8 KB · Views: 118
jerry S said:
I sent an email to John McCormick, the automotive correspondent for the Detroit News and suggested that he report on the story.

I think that Mustang owners should organize and turn out en masse at the Dream Cruise along Woodward Ave this year and generate a lot of bad PR for Ford.


This would be very effective I think. If Mustang owners were to put up a sign on the package shelf or taped to a side window at high profile events with some sort of succint statement on the subject, we might get some traction.

In fact, I'm going to make up signs for all 3 of my Mustangs and leave them there until Ford changes their policy or hell freezes over!
 
I'd like to thank the moderator who made this a sticky and also to offer more encouragement to those who haven't written. Does anyone remember when Ford wanted to get rid of the Mustang altogether? It may be hard to beleive, but it's true. The only thing that stopped them was a massive letter-writing campaign by Mustang people. Evidently, it's time to let them know that not only are we as Mustang owners and fans pissed, but that we consider the aftermarket vendors a huge part of our family as well. To paraphrase Marlon Brando, "You don't go against the Family..."
 
Well, I signed the petition and I'm working on my snail-mail letter.

I'm fairly wired-in to a lot of people in the Mustang business and there is a huge buzz over this -- more like a roar.

Let's face it, in these days of excellent value, quality, and even style from the import car makers, one of the few things keeping Ford alive is brand loyalty, which they're now ruining.

Another of their strong points is the sales of the '05-'06 Mustang, a car which would not be nearly as popular as it is without the classic Mustang world. We kept the cars alive that gave Ford the instantly-recognizable vintage styling cues to draw from. Would the new Mustangs be so popular if the image of the classics was a faded memory? So they crap on us.

I have heard from a lot of people that they will never buy a Ford product again unless this is totally reversed. I am one of those people. Coincidentally, I am in the market for a work truck. After never owning a non-Ford truck, I just pulled the plug on my E350 van deal and will buy a GM product. I will send a picture of me standing next to it to Bill Ford. Funny thing is, after removing my brand-loyalty blinders to do my research, the GM product is far superior.

Vote with your wallet. It's obviously the only thing they understand.
 
Actually, anyone with Stang or Mustang in their screen names had better change them! Ford might think you are posing as a Ford employee, and sue you.

I was in the market for a Fusion to replace my current commuter...however, if this isn't dropped in the next month or two, I'll be looking at a Cobalt, or some other brand X car.
 
I know many within FORD who say it's not what it seems, everything will be OK, yadda-yadda-yaddda. I want to beleive them, but have a tough time doing so so far. FORD does need to say something immediately before this really hurts them.

Did you Shelby has also done the same, and will require all SHELBY parts to be sold only by Shelby, and you must prove ownership of a Shelby?

As I see this, FORD, Shelby, GM, and others who follow this course are using the cover story of protecting thier trademark, keeping out junky parts, and other idealistic "feel-good" statements. It seems nice to them. For us, the average hobbyist, so far it stinks. We need to hear and see something from them, and soon.
 
My sons school is called "Merwyn Mustangs". Are they next? I now hate fomoco. Pure greed has left a very bad taste in my mouth. It is amazing to me how Ford could think this is a good move. I have always promoted Ford and their products. Between myself and my two brothers, we have five mustangs; my 69 and 90 gt vert, a 96 gt vert, a 2002 gt and a 05 gt. I also have a 2000 Expedition. I am no longer a Ford loyalist. They can kiss my a$$ and I will remove all ford logos from my cars.
Also, I will not buy any FRPP ever again. This really sucks. This giant corp. wants to stick it to the little guy, now I will stick it to them.
 
Stories of the insanity are pouring in as everyone gets together for All-Ford Nationals and I have heard some doosies. This is first-hand, not rumor. I'll leave out names (draw your own conclusions).

A major Shelby parts supplier has been ordered to pay $100,000 in "back royalties" from the last 7 years on anything even remotely "Shelby" including fiberglass and exhaust kits. They had to emergency wire transfer $10k today as a down payment to avoid a court order shutting their doors immediately. (I know this thread is about the "Mustang" thing but the "Shelby" thing is equally disturbing).

Some major businesses with "Mustang" in their name have been physically raided (no joke) to gather evidence.

One of the largest (if not the largest) businesses with "Mustang" in their name is fighting since they are perhaps the only one with deep enough pockets to do so. They lost the first round in court, and have been ordered to pay $10,000 per day that they continue to use their name. They have appealed to a higher court.

The stories go on and on, and everyone involved says that the worst is yet to come.
 
Do they not realize that the cars are rolling billboards advertising the mustang brand? If we stop driving or restoring them they lose all that free exposure. Again, the exposure of their brand and heritage is coming at no cost to them!

Let's take this a little further. Will our cars become worthless and unsellable because they contain aftermarket parts? Eg: Will a Shelby clone on ebay have to be pulled because a clone will be considered an unauthourized, illegal counterfeit? If the signage, buisiness cards, packaging and paperwork have to be surrendered to Ford or Shelby, then do gas caps, badges, wheel covers, etc. that contained the name when sold by these vendors have to be returned?