Yeah - that is what the acronym for FORD expands into. Fix Or Repair Daily.
I just did a 1000 mile roundtrip - in the space of 24 hrs - driving practically non-stop each way - sometimes over mountain roads - in a rented FORD Focus.
This is one of the worst rated cars in the US in terms of reliability. I must say the design of the car is decent - seems spacious for a small car. The engine noise/vibration was minimal, and the auto transmission - silky smooth. The built in MP3 player - would not work properly - even though the car was barely a month or two old.
The gasoline mileage sucked - probably 25 miles per gallon - a Honda Civic would probably do 33 mpg under the same conditions.
Fancy terminologies like zetec are meaningless and used to rope in naive customers. Engine technolgies from the Hondas and Toyotas of the world are far more sophisticated.
My friends who have owned the Ford Taurus - replaced theirs with Honda/Toyotas
Would I buy a Ford?
Naw - even if I was a mechanic.
Would I rent a Ford - sure.
Why? Cuz I dont pay for the repairs.