If you’re old enough, you no doubt remember the old jokes about auto manufacturers with less than stellar reputations for reliability. Italy’s Fiat stood for “Fix it again, Tony” and the ultimate American auto maker, Ford, stood for “fix or repair daily.”
We’re still not sure what the difference between fixing something and repairing it is, but clearly these jokes have become old and dated. (We do think we know the difference between what “old” and “dated” means. however.) It’s true that Fiat — which actually stands for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino — is having its share of troubles after coming to the rescue of Chrysler and then being subjected to the whims of history via the current economic and political turbulence in Italy. Its cars, however stand strong. Meanwhile, although efficiency-boosting Ford performance chips continue to sell well in the aftermarket, that’s no knock at all against the U.S. automotive giant. Ford autos are now widely seen as some of the finest performing low-and-mid price cars on the market. Continue reading