Go Ford!

[Morris Minor]

Good...Obama's little nationalization rape scheme wont hit them, at least.

Yes it will. Obama is using the tax dollars of Ford's employees and stockholders against them, by propping up its zombie competitors.

[NomisR]

Yes it will. Obama is using the tax dollars of Ford's employees and stockholders against them, by propping up its zombie competitors.

Well, Americans seems to like zombies, we even have a day dedicated to one.

[GoCougs]

Well, Unions were created not by government but by individuals organizing to go against the corporations.  The problem is Unions is that it's like a government agency now.  It does not allow for accountability and is just as bureaucratic as government agencies.  From older people that I talk to.. first generation Unioners, they actually cooperated with management to get things done.  But of course, once things drags along, there's a sense of entitlement and things change.  That's the problem.

Unions came into being to combat the government force being abused by corporations; and yes, it is no coincidence that unions and government are similar; they're actually cut from the same cloth, on more than a few levels.

[Catman]

Waiting patiently to see 2010 Explorer........

[SVT666]

Waiting patiently to see 2010 Explorer........

Are you going to consider one if you like what you see?

[Catman]

Are you going to consider one if you like what you see?

Probably.  I would have to wait till it was old news and the incentives to kick in.  I like the Acadia and Traverse but the narrow width of the roof is an issue for me since I use the roof rack a lot.  The Pilot is ideal but I want to buy American.

[ifcar]

Probably.  I would have to wait till it was old news and the incentives to kick in.  I like the Acadia and Traverse but the narrow width of the roof is an issue for me since I use the roof rack a lot.  The Pilot is ideal but I want to buy American.

Taurus X?

[Catman]

Taurus X?

Yeah, I like them.  It's being discontinued?  My wife isn't a fan so it would be an uphill battle though.

[ifcar]

Yeah, I like them.  It's being discontinued?  My wife isn't a fan so it would be an uphill battle though.

It's being discontinued, so discounts should abound, and it's selling slowly so inventory should persist.

[Catman]

It's being discontinued, so discounts should abound, and it's selling slowly so inventory should persist.

I was thinking the same thing.  After incentives I think one would be hard pressed to find an equivalent vehicle for the money.

[SVT666]

I was thinking the same thing.  After incentives I think one would be hard pressed to find an equivalent vehicle for the money.

We love ours.  The only reason we're ditching it at the end of the lease is that my wife really really wants sliding doors.

[AutobahnSHO]

We love ours.  The only reason we're ditching it at the end of the lease is that my wife really really wants sliding doors.

                   

Mazda5 or something bigger??

[SVT666]

                   

Mazda5 or something bigger??

Nissan Quest.  We drove one on the weekend and she fell in love with it.

[r0tor]

If the rumours ever come true that b.O. will force Gm away from trucks/SUVs almost entirely to focus on 'green cars', Ford is going to make a killing in the US market....

[SVT666]

If the rumours ever come true that b.O. will force Gm away from trucks/SUVs almost entirely to focus on 'green cars', Ford is going to make a killing in the US market....

I heard that BO isn't keen on the Volt.  He doesn't think there's a market for a car like that.

[Byteme]

I heard that BO isn't keen on the Volt.  He doesn't think there's a market for a car like that.

He's probably right.  it's a niche car and it's probably a small niche.

[Nethead]

I heard that BO isn't keen on the Volt.  He doesn't think there's a market for a car like that.

No wonder.  'Performs like a Volt, costs like a CTS.

[hotrodalex]

B.O. isn't a car guy. He's a politician. Thus, I don't care what he says.

[SVT666]

B.O. isn't a car guy. He's a politician. Thus, I don't care what he says.

So being a politician means he can't possibly be a car guy?

[NomisR]

So being a politician means he can't possibly be a car guy?

No, but not being a car guy means he's not a car guy. 

[SVT666]

No, but not being a car guy means he's not a car guy. 

I just don't like it when people say someone can't be a car guy if they are "pick occupation here".

[NomisR]

I just don't like it when people say someone can't be a car guy if they are "pick occupation here".

Yeah, but at least it's two seperate statements, 1, he's not a car guy 2. he's a politician. 

[Catman]

B.O. isn't a car guy. He's a politician. Thus, I don't care what he says.

You shouldn't care.  He's never run a business, WTF does he know about cars?

[Colonel Cadillac]

I heard that BO isn't keen on the Volt.  He doesn't think there's a market for a car like that.

How would he not like the Volt? It is a revolutionary car that will quite possibly transform the industry towards his "green" goals.

[ifcar]

Nissan Quest.  We drove one on the weekend and she fell in love with it.

Nissan's Mississippi plant has produced among the least reliable new cars in recent history. It's easy to see why one would enjoy driving it, but everything but the powertrain has proven trouble-prone.

[Colonel Cadillac]

I'm sure the stockholders (and the Ford family) are extremely happy with Mullally's performance and the fact that they are not going to get wiped out.

[Morris Minor]

I heard that BO isn't keen on the Volt.  He doesn't think there's a market for a car like that.

Not when gas is as cheap as it is now.

If BO is serious about getting people to use less gas, he needs to punish its use by imposing a hefty gas tax - say $5/gal. They've done that in Europe quite successfully, as evidenced by the nasty little cars that are so popular there.

But even if gas were $7/gal I think hybrids would have a hard time competing against small-engined conventional vehicles which, unburdened by heavy battery packs and engineering complexity, are cheaper.

[Nethead]

Not when gas is as cheap as it is now.

If BO is serious about getting people to use less gas, he needs to punish its use by imposing a hefty gas tax - say $5/gal.

They've done that in Europe quite successfully, as evidenced by the nasty little cars that are so popular there.

But even if gas were $7/gal I think hybrids would have a hard time competing against small-engined conventional vehicles which, unburdened by heavy battery packs and engineering complexity, are cheaper.

Decline in line with the industry
Ford Motor Company's sales figures for March 2009 are down approximately 40 percent compared to March 2008, but there's a silver lining.  In a conference call with reporters Wednesday, April 1, George Pipas, U.S. Sales Analysis Manager noted that Ford increased retail market share in March to its highest level since December 2006, capping two consecutive quarters of retail share gains.  "Our decline in total sales (-41%) was in line with the industry, and we think most manufacturers will report declines in that range," said Pipas (He got that right! ).  Ford estimates its retail share performace from October 2008 through March 2009 was the strongest of any major manufacturer compared with the same period a year ago.  Ford sales increased 30 percent compared with February 2009 with retail sales up 34 percent and fleet sales up 22 percent.

HOWEVER...even in a declining economy some decline more than others.  Check out the figures from the link in ifcar's "March sales" thread which contained a chart of the fifteen top-selling vehicles in the USA during March, 2009:

Best-selling cars of March 2009

1. Ford F-Series (large pickup) 32,728                         
2. Toyota Camry (midsize coupe and sedan) 25,783
3. Chevrolet Silverado (large pickup) 23,508                     
4. Honda Accord (midsize coupe and sedan) 22,722
5. Toyota Corolla (compact sedan and wagon) 22,257
6. Honda Civic (compact coupe and sedan) 20,645
7. Nissan Altima (midsize coupe and sedan) 19,521
8. Dodge Ram (large pickup) 19,328
9. Chevrolet Malibu (midsize sedan) 14,722
10. Honda CR-V (compact SUV) 12,959
11. Ford Fusion (midsize sedan) 12,723
12. Chevrolet Impala (large sedan) 12,648
13. Ford Escape (compact SUV) 12,580
14. Ford Focus (compact coupe and sedan) 12,383
15. Toyota RAV4 (compact SUV) 11,899

So in the top fifteen are: 

Four Fords               70,414 vehicles sold  The F150 was the king in March, and outsold the next truck by > 39%.
Three Toyotas          59,939 vehicles sold  The Camry outsold every pickup truck except for the F150.
Three Hondas           56,326 vehicles sold
Three Chevrolets       50,878 vehicles sold
One Nissan               19,521 vehicles sold
One Dodge               19,328 vehicles sold

Interesting that nothing Korean made the top fifteen, nor did anything European.  Japanese brands in the top fifteen totalled 135,786 vehicles sold, just under fifty percent of the total of the top fifteen vehicles sold in March, 2009.  They're strong in sixteen through whatever, too...

[SVT666]

Not when gas is as cheap as it is now.

If BO is serious about getting people to use less gas, he needs to punish its use by imposing a hefty gas tax - say $5/gal. They've done that in Europe quite successfully, as evidenced by the nasty little cars that are so popular there.

But even if gas were $7/gal I think hybrids would have a hard time competing against small-engined conventional vehicles which, unburdened by heavy battery packs and engineering complexity, are cheaper.

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

[GoCougs]

How would he not like the Volt? It is a revolutionary car that will quite possibly transform the industry towards his "green" goals.

The Volt is failure incarnate.