I agree with your cost vs. quality assessments. German cars in the same price range have way better paint though!i know this won't be popular, sorry but.....
I understand the want to have a "perfect" car. But SOME of these issues people are being a little nit picky over a couple millimeters.
It is a $40k Ford, not a $400k Bentley. to institute the kind of tolerances and QA being expected would add thousands in cost.