I feel like Ford gets a lot of criticism. But the haters are forgetting all of the records the automaker has, like the most recalls in the last 10 years and the most confusing and questionable CEO.
CEO Jim Farley has been saying a lot of strange things ever since claiming that Ford wants to highlight “American innovation” with its lineup of cheap EVs. Since then, Farley can’t make up his mind if “American innovation” includes Chinese batteries and partnering with Chinese automakers, or if that would “devastate” domestic automakers (aside from Ford, of course, who already is doing this). But the rest of you? No, you really, really shouldn’t be open to Chinese EVs!
After saying contradicting things to President Donald Trump about Chinese EVs, Farley had more questionable things to say about the Right to Repair bill.
What is Ford’s CEO even saying about the REPAIR Act?
A nationwide Right to Repair bill is being supported by both sides of Congress. The Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry (REPAIR) Act is also endorsed by the CAR Coalition and Auto Car Association. The goal of the bill is to guarantee that car owners have access to affordable repair by providing independent shops with the same data and tools as dealerships.
Americans should very clearly be in favor of the REPAIR Act, which would save them money and allow them to choose the mechanic of their choice. As the cost of vehicle ownership continues to rise due to tariffs, politics, and America’s obsession with oversized vehicles, it would be a shame to have to pay more for repairs as well.
Trump recently met with auto executives from Ford and General Motors to discuss the REPAIR Act. It’s unclear how that chat went. We don’t even know if Trump was awake for it. But the Detroit Free Press interviewed Farley after the meeting to hear more about the REPAIR Act. He said: “I think Ford’s position is very reasonable. We’re really a big advocate for the ability to repair a vehicle, but it has to be done at a reasonable cost.”
What is the position? What makes it reasonable? What’s a reasonable cost? The strange response from Farley sounds a bit like he’s not completely in favor of it. But that’s just speculation. Ford didn’t really say much of anything, which is a bit alarming.
While Farley wasn’t willing to say anything, Trump was. I’m not one to believe anything he says. But if he is speaking the truth, it sounds like Ford does not want the REPAIR Act to pass: “We had the auto industry in yesterday. They don’t want people to fix their car. I said, ‘That’s strange. I’d never heard of that.’ They have a thing to … Nobody’s allowed to fix their car, they gave a man seven years in jail, actually, because he fixed his own car. So I thought we’d do something about that. But we’ll get it all straightened away.”
I could not find any story about a man going to jail for fixing his own car. So… Maybe let’s not listen to him.
“I mean, they actually have, the Democrats, a restriction that if you get caught fixing your tractor, they bring you to jail. You know that? Do you know that I pardoned a man last week who was sentenced to seven years in jail because he got caught fixing his car or his truck?”
Okay yeah… Don’t listen to this. At this point, it’s still a mystery what Farley thinks about the REPAIR Act. I doubt he wants to arrest someone for fixing their Mustang. And if Farley is against the REPAIR Act, that’d be pretty rich. As I said earlier, Ford has a recall about every five minutes. I don’t know what makes their own dealerships more trustworthy than the local guy you enjoy going to. In fact, I’d almost be more scared of their own guys.
This is all speculation, of course. No clue what Farley thinks. He probably doesn’t know either, since he changes his opinion on matters every few days. We’ll have to see how the REPAIR Act plays out. But no matter what Farley feels, Americans should be rooting for the Act to keep maintenance fair, cheap, and independent.
Todd Spangler, Washington correspondent for the Detroit Free Press, stated a few days ago: “The conflict comes down to who has the proprietary right to all that know-how, intellectual property and access: the manufacturer, whose business model may rely on it, or the owner, who buys it.”
