ford yet again betrays its most loyal customers

[carrrnuttt]

Japanese have very, very tiny-a penwis, cann-a make-a mustang...........only Rexbox and a-Camry........... mustang noisier than gozilra! You want-a sake Daniel-san?

Wow.

And you're supposed to be smart?

Does YOUR "penwis" even still work, bitter-boy?

 

[BetterthanU]

"Goddamn Mongowoolians!"

 

[REX-RACER]

What is Ford's contact info? I just want to know who I can tell FUCK YOU to. If they keep this up, I won't be buying anything from them....ever again. Pieces of shit.

Ford's and the attorney's contact info is in this thread from my local club site:

http://forums.stlmustangs.com/index.php?showtopic=58611&st=30&gopid=582273&#entry582273

A member over there also had a good idea to start forwarding these links and threads to local media outlets. It's time for a little public outcry I beleive.

I'm starting to think something weird is going on over at Ford like there may be an internal move to kill off the Mustang. First SVT esessentially gutted, then we get this new "retro" mustang which may bee cool but it isn't what I'd call imaginitive or new. Third we get this new bloated "Old-man-Shelby-GT500-It's-not-a-Cobra even though it has Cobras allover it" 4000lbs of baby-boomer-mobile.

And now we have all of this crazy litigation against the Mustang after-market parts suppliers which has been a pilar of the Mustang enthusiast community for over 40 years? Something has gotta be up w/ this . . . perhaps it's all part of Fords new "greener" philosophy.

I wouldn't be surprised if the current Mustang is actually the last Mustang.

All of you-

Read up on copyright law (pertaining to trademark defense) and then come back and tell me what you think.

Mr. Scoriox, would you please provide us w/ some resources on which you speak so that we may educate ourselves? The best way to fight ignorance & ignorant behavior is w/ knowledge.

 

[00 Aggie]

actually, it's MUCH different than that.

Not really. Toyota would be using a Ford trademark or copyright without their approval (same as anybody else who would use it), over time it would seem that Ford isn't protecting theit trademarks and then they would be public domain.

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/help/law.aspx

NO use of trademarks, names, or logos of companies. For example, you cannot use the name of a company such as Nike, a company logo such as the Nike "swoosh" trademark, or brand name such as Coca Cola, or a modified version of a trademark, (e.g., "Just Did It").
NO pictures or photographs of products (such as toys). Even if you own a product, trademark laws may still prohibit you from selling merchandise that features pictures of it. For example, you cannot take a picture of your Barbie and sell merchandise with that picture.

http://www.legalzoom.com/law_library/trademarks/faq-faq-faq_tm_versus_cpy.html

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/
http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-infringement.html

 

[BetterthanU]

so does my local high school now have to stop using the "mustang" mascot name, and a running horse logo? :bash:

it's a noun, not a unique name of a car, like corvette.

Do you see porsche suing businesses called "Porsche parts for less", etc...? no. And Chevy doesn't pull this crap with their aftermarket, either.

You can find a legal justification for polygamy in some states....does that mean you should do it? Goddamn corporate litigation lawyers.


bottom line is, there's really nothing Ford can gain from taking this action.....they have much more to loose....and are penalizing the very aftermarket which has kept them alive.

 

[Bert5.0]

All of you-

Read up on copyright law (pertaining to trademark defense) and then come back and tell me what you think.

So you really think they have "stang" trademarked? This isnt about cybersquatting or trademarks. Explain to me how going after magazines like Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords protects their rights. I would love to know. This is about $$$$$$ for a floundering company and of course, money grubbing lawyers that dont have anything better to do than threaten and intimidate others. Perhaps they were willing to look the other way for twenty or thirty years so they could cash in when they were needy.

The only other auto company that I am aware of that is ****ing over the little guy is Nissan with their 'cybersquatter.' I guess GM doesnt feel too threatened by the little guy 'stealing' from them even though they lost $10 billion last year.

 

[00 Aggie]

Guys $100k is not a lot of money for Ford.

so does my local high school now have to stop using the "mustang" mascot name, and a running horse logo?

it's a noun, not a unique name of a car, like corvette.

Your highschool would if it was trademarked by a NFL or College Team. Most of the license their names and logos for $1 per year (my brothers little league team used the "Power Cat" logo from Kansas State and paid $1).

Mustang as in the car is protected (just like Corvette.) Could you have a Mustang Horse supply? Yes, as long as you don't using the Ford running horse or imply the car.

Do you see porsche suing businesses called "Porsche parts for less", etc...? no. And Chevy doesn't pull this crap with their aftermarket, either.

Every major car mf'ger has had to fight this battle:

Porsche - http://www.autoworld.com/news/Porsche/Lawsuit.htm
GM - http://car-reviews.automobile.com/n...anti-0-in-trademark-infringement-lawsuit/483/
BMW, Ford, Nissan - http://www.igorinternational.com/press/detfp-car-names-naming-expert.php

So you really think they have "stang" trademarked? This isnt about cybersquatting or trademarks. Explain to me how going after magazines like Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords protects their rights. I would love to know. This is about $$$$$$ for a floundering company and of course, money grubbing lawyers that dont have anything better to do than threaten and intimidate others. Perhaps they were willing to look the other way for twenty or thirty years so they could cash in when they were needy.

I'm sure MM&FF has a deal with Ford, they are pretty high visibility and we haven't heard about Ford going after them (they probably have deeper pockets than some small regional parts distributor so if Ford was out for money they would have gone after them). IF I open a magazine called MM&FF (Muscle Mustang and Furious Fords) I'm pretty sure MM&FF would go after me. Would they being trying to screw the ittle guy or portect their brand?

Look at the Dallas Mustang website (at the very bottom of the page)

©2006 Dallas Mustang. Dallas Mustang is not affiliated with or sponsored by Ford Motor Company or any other manufacturer or marketer of automobiles or any subsidiary or affiliate thereof. All rights reserved. All trademarks and/or images are the exclusive property of their respective owners.

I'm sure the guy Ford is going after didn't have this blurb.

This is not about screwing the little guy or alienating owners, its about defending a brand that Ford andwe as owners/enthusiasts think highly of. If they didn't the image, name, brand would get watered down and Ford would stop producing Mustangs.

 

[BetterthanU]

Dude, I really don't care what legal justification they have for it....it's a dick move...and everyone else here seems to feel the same. :nono:

 

[00 Aggie]

So is every entity that produces a good or service that tries to protect itself pulling a "dick move"?

If PHP went after Steeda for copying their CAIs would that be a "dick move" or OK because its a small guy going after a big guy?

 

[BetterthanU]

It's ford going after the very companies that helped it sell cars for the past 15 years. Would just as many people have bought terminators if there was NO aftermarket for them? oke:

People aren't out there making knock-off Ford Mustangs. :whine:

 

[03cobrablack]

It's ford going after the very companies that helped it sell cars for the past 15 years. Would just as many people have bought terminators if there was NO aftermarket for them? oke:

People aren't out there making knock-off Ford Mustangs. :whine:

exactly...and 100k might not be alot of money for Ford but its a butt load of money for the people they are going to go after....

 

[03cobrablack]

Umm, what if Toyota came out with a Mustang, is that different?

yeah that would be totally differant, Toyota is a competitor, and would be doing that to hurt Ford...the web sites and clubs that Ford is going to go after do nothing but promote the Mustang and Ford name...and they don't make any money from it...

While the after market Co. do make money its a wash becuase they haev kept the Mustang hobbie alive and well all these years by letting owners upgrade their Mustangs to the level they should have come from the factory with...

 

[REX-RACER]

So is every entity that produces a good or service that tries to protect itself pulling a "dick move"?

If PHP went after Steeda for copying their CAIs would that be a "dick move" or OK because its a small guy going after a big guy?

Dude, I understand what you are saying and I'm follwing your argument but at the end of it all I just keeping saying to myself, "So . . . ?"

Someone might want to answer why this is so important to Ford in 2006 vs. 1979 when Ford, w/ copious help from the aftermarket industry, pulled the Mustang back from the brink of extinction ( pun intended ). Back then the aftermarket was Ford's best friend and that unofficial partnership has helped put as ALL where we are today. So in recognition of that Ford is now suing the aftermarket parts suppliers? Nice!

Yes, there is probably a legal precident and context for these actions by FoMoCo, although I'm still a little fuzzy on how you copyright the name and likeness of a wild horse.
If Ford is so concerned about copyright issues perhaps they should change the name of the car to something unique. No one would dare try to contest the Shelby name since it's clearly unique.

Damn it, carrots work better than sticks if you actually wish to maintain and strengthen relationships that have proven beneficial. We get it, but there's a difference between book law and practiced law. This frankly seems like a bad case of the former trumping the latter and in my opinion it's going to be counter productive.

The C6 is lookin' pretty good right about now . . .

 

[SID297]

It's not just the name that's trademarked, it's the context with which that name is used. I can't leagally produce a car and call it a Mustang, but I can leagally produce a beer and call it a Mustang

 

[SolarYellow]

It's ford going after the very companies that helped it sell cars for the past 15 years. Would just as many people have bought terminators if there was NO aftermarket for them? oke:

The example that came to mind was how the Mustang kept it's head above H2O from 93 & up when the Fbody was laying waste to the MGT. Without support, I highly doubt the 215/225hp pony car would have caught the interest of many.

 

[00 Aggie]

The thing is its not just Ford that does this. EVERY car mfger does this.

EVERY business would do this if necessary.

Yes, there is probably a legal precident and context for these actions by FoMoCo, although I'm still a little fuzzy on how you copyright the name and likeness of a wild horse

On a personal note my Alma mater recently went after (and won) the Seattle Seahawks for using the phrase "12th Man", a seemingly odd thing, but they did it to protect their trademarks (and history).

The example that came to mind was how the Mustang kept it's head above H2O from 93 & up when the Fbody was laying waste to the MGT. Without support, I highly doubt the 215/225hp pony car would have caught the interest of many.

They did that by building a better car. Way more V6s are sold, which is not exactly a perfomance driven market. I think that if you looked as a % of total mustangs built each year, you would find a suprisingly small number are modified. You can't use SVTP as a base, since this is an enthusiast community and the % is a lot higher.

 

[Bert5.0]

exactly...and 100k might not be alot of money for Ford but its a butt load of money for the people they are going to go after....

100K may not be a lot of money for Ford, but how about after sueing 100 companies? How much is it then?

 

[me32]

i have to agree this is total crap. Ford should be happy that companies wanna use the name mustang or ford. we show are support by using there name and buy there cars. not everyone want to mod there mustang but there are a huge amount of people who do. i would like to think that if it wasn't for the aftermarket company's for wouldn't even be making the V8 mustang.

 

[REX-RACER]

The thing is its not just Ford that does this. EVERY car mfger does this.

On a personal note my Alma mater recently went after (and won) the Seattle Seahawks for using the phrase "12th Man", a seemingly odd thing, but they did it to protect their trademarks (and history).

Yeah, I remember that, mostly becuase my best friend has been a huge Seahawks since the mid-80's. A lot of those fans wanted to know why Texas A&M suddenly decided to sue the Seahawks in 2006 in the midst of their Super Bowl run instead of back in 1986 when the Seahawks retired the #12 jersey while they were still in the Kingdome as a tribute to their fans.

Suddenly 20 years later, in the middle of a media spotlight A&M levies this issue which hadn't been a problem for tha last 20 years.

In the same way, in 1986 when the 5.0 aftermarket parts industry was kicking into high gear to support the Mustang in a BIG way Ford didn't seem to have a problem since they were squarely ensconced in a popularity contest w/ the GM f-body. Now in 2006 FoMoCo is in a bit of financial trouble but they are on the verge of huge image car launch w/ the Shelby and suddenly they need to start suing the aftermarket parts supliers over copy right infringement? Could it possibly be so Ford could lock up sole proprietary rights to aftermarket parts retail?

. . . mmm, call me a skeptic but the timing of these things always seems a bit suspicious.

They did that by building a better car. Way more V6s are sold, which is not exactly a perfomance driven market. I think that if you looked as a % of total mustangs built each year, you would find a suprisingly small number are modified. You can't use SVTP as a base, since this is an enthusiast community and the % is a lot higher.

This is a good point, but keep in mind that w/o the v8 version the Mustang becomes just another econno box, grocery getter. Never discount the appeal of the halo vehicle which propels the average buyer into the show room even if it's only the buy the "sporty looking" cousin of the hot rod down the street. Kill that mystique and you kill a lot more than just interest of few fringe interest gearheads.

 

[kennycoulter]

The thing is its not just Ford that does this. EVERY car mfger does this.

EVERY business would do this if necessary.



On a personal note my Alma mater recently went after (and won) the Seattle Seahawks for using the phrase "12th Man", a seemingly odd thing, but they did it to protect their trademarks (and history).



They did that by building a better car. Way more V6s are sold, which is not exactly a perfomance driven market. I think that if you looked as a % of total mustangs built each year, you would find a suprisingly small number are modified. You can't use SVTP as a base, since this is an enthusiast community and the % is a lot higher.

you have a point...but, think about it. if the performance wasnt there with the higher end mustangs, would the image be there for the v6 cars for peopel to want to be seen in them, since theyre only an "image" car? it still rolls back to the performance aspect. all big businesses are power hungry. it wont stop, and it is the reason why communism only works in theory. money=power.