Ford Five Hundred

[ifcar]

I think you'll find that Ford is looking to do away with something besides the Taurus.  The only reason the Crown is still available is because it was the last car standing in the LEO wars.

It's still a popular enough car, both with fleets and with consumers. I don't think they'll kill it until/unless it stops selling.

[BMWDave]

I think you'll find that Ford is looking to do away with something besides the Taurus.  The only reason the Crown is still available is because it was the last car standing in the LEO wars.

It's still a popular enough car, both with fleets and with consumers. I don't think they'll kill it until/unless it stops selling.

Its mainly a fleet car...you dont see too many new CVs around driven by regular customers.  

[ifcar]

I think you'll find that Ford is looking to do away with something besides the Taurus.  The only reason the Crown is still available is because it was the last car standing in the LEO wars.

It's still a popular enough car, both with fleets and with consumers. I don't think they'll kill it until/unless it stops selling.

Its mainly a fleet car...you dont see too many new CVs around driven by regular customers.

JWC referred to elderly consumers being alienated, so I assumed that there were some.  :P

Anyway, I believe the Grand Marquis doesn't sell as much to fleets, and it was selling at almost the pace of the CV last time I looked it up.

[JWC]

Older consumers, in my opinion, are being alienated by the 500.  Half or better of our 500 sales are courtesy deliveries. Fleet vehicles. The Crown is still the choice for seniors those 60 and up, but only a few are looking at the 500 to replace their old Crown...and then they shy away and go to the model they are comfortable with. Problem is, this segment of the market is dying out.

The word has been floating around FMC forums for the past few months about the 500's redesign.  That to me tells me that they didn't hit the market they were aiming for and change is needed immediately. But, the market they aimed for was not well defined. When I see a commercial for a 500, I get the impression that Ford is trying to win over the Lexus buyers. And they failed.  

[BMWDave]

Older consumers, in my opinion, are being alienated by the 500.  Half or better of our 500 sales are courtesy deliveries. Fleet vehicles. The Crown is still the choice for seniors those 60 and up, but only a few are looking at the 500 to replace their old Crown...and then they shy away and go to the model they are comfortable with. Problem is, this segment of the market is dying out.

The word has been floating around FMC forums for the past few months about the 500's redesign.  That to me tells me that they didn't hit the market they were aiming for and change is needed immediately. But, the market they aimed for was not well defined. When I see a commercial for a 500, I get the impression that Ford is trying to win over the Lexus buyers. And they failed.

Most of the 500s sold are to retail customers, not fleet vehicles.

[ifcar]

Older consumers, in my opinion, are being alienated by the 500.  Half or better of our 500 sales are courtesy deliveries. Fleet vehicles. The Crown is still the choice for seniors those 60 and up, but only a few are looking at the 500 to replace their old Crown...and then they shy away and go to the model they are comfortable with. Problem is, this segment of the market is dying out.

The word has been floating around FMC forums for the past few months about the 500's redesign.  That to me tells me that they didn't hit the market they were aiming for and change is needed immediately. But, the market they aimed for was not well defined. When I see a commercial for a 500, I get the impression that Ford is trying to win over the Lexus buyers. And they failed.

Most of the 500s sold are to retail customers, not fleet vehicles.

I believe he works for a Ford dealership, and is talking about its specific sales. However, the Five Hundred isn't going too much to fleet sales overall.

[JWC]

Older consumers, in my opinion, are being alienated by the 500.  Half or better of our 500 sales are courtesy deliveries. Fleet vehicles. The Crown is still the choice for seniors those 60 and up, but only a few are looking at the 500 to replace their old Crown...and then they shy away and go to the model they are comfortable with. Problem is, this segment of the market is dying out.

The word has been floating around FMC forums for the past few months about the 500's redesign.  That to me tells me that they didn't hit the market they were aiming for and change is needed immediately. But, the market they aimed for was not well defined. When I see a commercial for a 500, I get the impression that Ford is trying to win over the Lexus buyers. And they failed.

Most of the 500s sold are to retail customers, not fleet vehicles.

I believe he works for a Ford dealership, and is talking about its specific sales. However, the Five Hundred isn't going too much to fleet sales overall.

This is why I know there's a problem.

Originally Ford informed us that there would be no fleet sales at all on the 500.  Within the past 90 days, that's changed.   Instead of all Taurus and Freestar coming in for fleet....it is 500s and Freestars.

[TBR]

Why are you comparing a $22,000 Ford to BMWs and Mercedes. The Five Hundred isn't meant to paint a picture of success, it is meant to blend in with all of the other boring cars out there and it does that job quite well. So far is selling fairly well, though a little bit below early estimates.  However, once the Taurus is completely phased out I suspect we will see a large bump in Five Hundred sales.

[ifcar]

Older consumers, in my opinion, are being alienated by the 500.  Half or better of our 500 sales are courtesy deliveries. Fleet vehicles. The Crown is still the choice for seniors those 60 and up, but only a few are looking at the 500 to replace their old Crown...and then they shy away and go to the model they are comfortable with. Problem is, this segment of the market is dying out.

The word has been floating around FMC forums for the past few months about the 500's redesign.  That to me tells me that they didn't hit the market they were aiming for and change is needed immediately. But, the market they aimed for was not well defined. When I see a commercial for a 500, I get the impression that Ford is trying to win over the Lexus buyers. And they failed.

Most of the 500s sold are to retail customers, not fleet vehicles.

I believe he works for a Ford dealership, and is talking about its specific sales. However, the Five Hundred isn't going too much to fleet sales overall.

This is why I know there's a problem.

Originally Ford informed us that there would be no fleet sales at all on the 500.  Within the past 90 days, that's changed.   Instead of all Taurus and Freestar coming in for fleet....it is 500s and Freestars.

I assume, though, that they're at least making more profit from Five Hundred fleet sales than Taurus fleet sales, as it doesn't have any consumer rebates yet.

[JWC]

I would hope so. But, the Taurus is a platform that is old enough that there should be an large amount of profit  The 500 going to fleet so soon tells me that they are producing more than they thought they could sell and are overstocked.

I wish I hadn't thrown that edition of Frontline away. Frontline is a dealer publication that tells us "how" to sell certain cars to their intended market segment.

[ifcar]

I would hope so. But, the Taurus is a platform that is old enough that there should be an large amount of profit  The 500 going to fleet so soon tells me that they are producing more than they thought they could sell and are overstocked.

I wish I hadn't thrown that edition of Frontline away. Frontline is a dealer publication that tells us "how" to sell certain cars to their intended market segment.

As long as that doesn't become a national trend, I don't see a problem with it.