Ford Sues Ford Fan Websites - please help

[Vedubin01]

just passing on some information..... Kind of fucked up in so many ways!

I am asking anyone who is willing to help to check out what is going on over at therangerstation.com

The Ranger Station Forum

Ford doesn't have enough problems trying to stay out of bankruptcy, now they are suing Fan sites. They want the domain name surrendered and $5000 for their copyright infringement. The Ranger Station has been around for 10 years and has only promoted and supported Ford vehicles and now they are getting screwed in the ass!!

Here's what was sent out:

Today, (December 9, 2008) I received a letter from the law offices of Howard, Phillips & Andersen that represent the Ford Motor Company. Ford is forcing us to surrender the name 'therangerstation.com' to them and stop using it. Ford states that using the name 'Ranger' when used in reference to the Ford Ranger is a trademark violation. In addition they are wanting me to pay them $5,000.

As you may know, The Ranger Station has been around for the past 10 years and has been a valuable resource to Ranger enthusiasts.

If Ford does this to us, where will they stop?

I have 10-days to surrender the name and pay them $5,000. I'm asking that you contact Ford online and ask them to reconsider making us change our name and prohibiting us from using the word 'Ranger'.

You can contact them at:

https://secure.ford.com/footer/contact-ford/contact-us-email?contactMainTopic=PublicAffairs

a sample of what one of the members wrote is:

"To whom it may concern:

I am writing concerning your recent legal attacks on various "fan" websites for vehicles such as the Mustang and Ranger. I am insulted by this careless misuse of our legal system and am reconsidering any further vehicle purchases from your company until you cease and desist from any further legal action concerning this subject. I have been a Ford owner for many years and I had hoped to stay that way. These attacks are morally wrong since they are geared towards your customers, and do not instill the least bit of confidence in your brand. For the sake of your business, I ask you to please reconsider immediately.

Thank you."


Here a link to Ford's public affairs page for comments

Ford

Here's a link to FoxNews UReport page also.

Fox News

[mtechnik]

That's just wrong sheesh.

Shame on you Ford!

[kenika65]

So lets sue Ford for taking the name from the Army Ranger's.....

[Charlie]

Trademark enforcement. If they don't do it, it sets a precedent. Was TRS selling items with its name on them?

-Charlie

[delfin]

Trademark enforcement. If they don't do it, it sets a precedent. Was TRS selling items with its name on them?

-Charlie

But does it mean socale30 and the other e30 site can be sued by BMW for using their model name?

[Jand3rson]

E30 isn't a model name, it's a chassis code. As far as I know, it's not a trademarked word owned by BMW.

[Miasma]

Wow, Fuck ford and all their shitty sub par vehicles.

[devonjordan]

E30 isn't a model name, it's a chassis code. As far as I know, it's not a trademarked word owned by BMW.

What about Bimmerfest and bimmerforums?

BMW has got to own Bimmer right?

What about Audizine?

Either way, I dont think BMW is stupid enough to alienate an entire customer base like ford just did. Or maybe all of the above pay for rights to use the name.

[e30frosh]

Pure crap. They should save themselves the headache and change the E's to 3's.

[nando]

There are Ford FANS? are you kidding?

They are kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place though. They do in fact have to enforce their trademark by law, or they risk losing it. I've had the same thing happen to me way back in the dot-com days, had to remove a logo or two but it wasn't a big deal.

Also, I don't think Bimmer is an official BMW word anyway, pretty sure that's just American slang. Actually, I really hate that word. And Beamers are BMW motorcycles. :p

you can bet your ass though that BMW would have to sue anyone using their trademark. Notice Very few of the sites use "BMW" in their name. Hell, even R3v using their logo in the header is walking on thin ice..

[Farbin Kaiber]

Where did ya find this tidbit?

[delfin]

There are Ford FANS? are you kidding?

They are kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place though. They do in fact have to enforce their trademark by law, or they risk losing it. I've had the same thing happen to me way back in the dot-com days, had to remove a logo or two but it wasn't a big deal.

Also, I don't think Bimmer is an official BMW word anyway, pretty sure that's just American slang. Actually, I really hate that word. And Beamers are BMW motorcycles. :p

you can bet your ass though that BMW would have to sue anyone using their trademark. Notice Very few of the sites use "BMW" in their name. Hell, even R3v using their logo in the header is walking on thin ice..

Well the website isn't "The Ford Ranger Station", it's just The Ranger Station. Ford can't copyright the word "ranger".

[Farbin Kaiber]

Well the website isn't "The Ford Ranger Station", it's just The Ranger Station. Ford can't copyright the word "ranger".

But they can when usage of the Ford Ranger product. If they were selling Therangerstation.com forrest gear it would be different.

[homegrone30]

They are doing this because they cant make a decent vehicle so they have had to think up some drastic ways to make some money. But for some reason I dont think $5000 will pull them out of the hole they dug and just put one foot in.

[Farbin Kaiber]

They are not trying to make money, trying to keep their trademarks.