Life has a way of offering opportunities when you least expect it. In fact it's kind of how we've done extremely well in life, by jumping on opportunities when they present themselves - and often never finding them when we seek them out. As a lifetime automotive designer spanning all three makers, I'm very familiar with GM, Ford, FCA/Dodge products. We just happen to be a Ford/Dodge household, ironically my spouse and I like both, usually purchase both relatively evenly, but we playfully side with one over another, all in good fun.
There's no way to make a long story short and give all the details, but today, we added another "diamond in the rough" Ford vehicle to our household lineup. It makes for two "diamond in the roughs" this year, oddly enough. It will make for our fifth Ford vehicle in the household, fantastic condition for all of them - and one (1) dodge. Talk about the odd man out, meme five Fords, sitting along one Dodge Durango (2007) with an unhappy face on it's bumper. But truth be told, we use to be about 50/50, it got our family through life, and kids, and all of these vehicles are well built. The Durango is low miles and solid, enough to put my kid through for the next 10 years easily. Upgrades happen, and everyone moves on to a better vehicles. We pick up our newest member tomorrow. Everything, no matter the make, is recyclable and replaceable if the numbers work, and the conditions right.
So, why this story? Doom and gloom is always in the headlines. Ford, FCA/Stellantis, GM, there really not all that different. Different models can offer differing results, but in the end, we're all after a product that can do well by our own family. To get those kids through life, and give us parents the enjoyment to know, yeah we did alright. And, maybe we have some fun along the way.
So tomorrow, we pick up a 27k mileage explorer "diamond in the rough", priced about 5k or more below market. Right place at the right time, for the less than market value price, it was stupidly obvious to purchase it since we were upgrading a vehicle anyways.
The indirect action and secondary motive, was to upgrade our youngest with a reliable hand me down, the lone dodge. So, what was the initial intended upgrade? Dodge journey or Durango, but the conditions said nope. Three attempts, three strike outs with dealers. Oddities in the situation. Stuff just going wrong that shouldn't go wrong - there's your sign. When something reveals itself, and you know it works, sometimes it's best to jump on it. When the numbers work, they work. When there's a jive, it works.
In the end, forget the noise, and the political nonsense. Layoffs, fear, the politics, it's all just a fling among ALL automakers - and then it goes away. Layoffs do happen, and one door closes. One or more doors open in it's place, often time for the better. But, your family unit, and what you push to create and evolve, is really ALL that matters. It's the last thing standing at the end of the day. It's the only constant.
Hang your hat on improving your family wellbeing.