pcsario Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 (edited) what does that have to do with ANYTHING in this thread Well I'm feeling quite confident about this, so lets make a bet. I say Escape's fleet sales are about on par with those for the old model. You disagree, you expect them to be down and FNA will be vindicated. Whoever wins will Paypal the other guy 20 bucks. Deal? Edited February 29, 2008 by pcsario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordBuyer Posted February 29, 2008 Author Share Posted February 29, 2008 The negatoids can spin it anyway they want, but the fact remains that Escape is one of Ford's best sellers and remains so after redesign. The 2009 Escape that goes into production in a few months will only make it better. It will finally have a 4 cylinder that should offer significant improvement and a V6 with much more zip. Add in the new trans and they should have the performance to match the new look. Optioned correctly, the new Focus is a nice, little car. Buyers are seeing it as attractive buy. Not many vehicles out there get 35mpg and offer the room, features, and trunk space that Focus does. The Escape/Focus are nice one-two combination for Ford. In fact, lately I have noticed a lot of driveways around town with new Escape and Focus sitting in them. Focus for driving to work and back and Escape for weekends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 . In fact, lately I have noticed a lot of driveways around town with new Escape and Focus sitting in them. Focus for driving to work and back and Escape for weekends. One of my neighbors across the street has a Focus and 2 Fusions. :shrug: On my street alone there are at least 4 Fusions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Reynolds Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 (edited) I'd drive a Focus, if I needed something cheap that was decent on gas. The Escape on the other hand would be a hard sell. The engine and transmission combo basically SUCK. I'd be more than willing to put it back on my shopping/recommended list after the upgrades see the light of day. Edited February 29, 2008 by Michael Reynolds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordBuyer Posted February 29, 2008 Author Share Posted February 29, 2008 One of my neighbors across the street has a Focus and 2 Fusions. :shrug: On my street alone there are at least 4 Fusions. In fact, I have seen quite a few driveways with two new Focus sitting in them. It seems to be a hot seller right now. I personally would prefer I4 Fusion or hybrid over Focus. I know I could get 33mpg+ out of I4 Fusion no problem. I would wait for 2010 Fusion though with new I4 and new 6 speed trans. An SEL with nice option list and new I4 would be nice ride. I have a feeling hybrid Fusion production will be very limited and thus no special deals. The new Focus is tempting though. Nice car. Now I know Pscario uses the CRV as his benchmark for Ford success. But the Escape is what it is and is a nice ride for a very good price. It remains a good seller for Ford and if anyting is selling better, not worse. Since Ford no longer pushes fleet sales to rental car companies, any fleet sale is probably profitable to them and I imagine every manufacturer pushes good fleet sales. Government fleets probably buy Escapes just like retail buyers do....nice vehicle at good price. And Ford now seems serious about improving each and every product in its portfolio and will soon have every product with new 6 speed trans and more hp and improved fuel mileage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmm55 Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 I'd drive a Focus, if I needed something cheap that was decent on gas. The Escape on the other hand would be a hard sell. The engine and transmission combo basically SUCK. I'd be more than willing to put it back on my shopping/recommended list after the upgrades see the light of day. I sort of agree with you on that. A friend has a Edge, likes it....but thinks it's too big. I'd of recommended the regular Escape except for the thrashy drive train....the Hybid is nice though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmm55 Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 Government fleets probably buy Escapes just like retail buyers do....nice vehicle at good price. Good point, we do want to sell to US Government fleet don't we?! It would be an embarassment to see RAV4s in Government use. Rental cars are another matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edstock Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 Think back to the line-up in 2K5. Kinda slim. 3 years later, Ford is finally ending the product drought, and every day, life gets harder for the trolls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 Think back to the line-up in 2K5. Kinda slim. 3 years later, Ford is finally ending the product drought, and every day, life gets harder for the trolls. Someone will inevitably blame the demise of Ford trolls on Global Warming..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SVT_MAN Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 Not to be a negatoid to anyone else, but isn't the Focus the car that Ford isn't turning a profit on ? I seem to remember that Alan Mullaly asked them about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 Our entry level Focus here in AUS is discounted at the moment to $19,990 Drive away. That's about US$19,000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 IMO, Ford has a real winner in the Escape hybrid, yet its marketing is non existant. they don't have to..........limited supply negates the need...customers out number units.....nice place to be... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 (edited) Slow day at the Cottage Grove FD? Noticed a huge amount of posts from you... What are you, holed up in a back room somewhere instead of watching soaps with the rest of the guys? probably pulling a "K" day...24 hr shift spent mainly cooking and basic maintenence and sleep catchup.....unless theres a call of course...Fluffy caught up a tree again, or a driver having a turn.....MEDIC! Edited February 29, 2008 by Deanh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkFive Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 In fact, I have seen quite a few driveways with two new Focus sitting in them. The first time I saw it, I couldn't get used to the design being so busy. All they had available was the SES model. Now that I've see the SE model, I have to say that it looks a lot better without the ad-ons like the vent on the side. I'm seeing a lot more around town now as well. One thing for sure, the price has gone up except for the two-door model which is probably due to the fact that it doesn't sell. I have as yet to see one two-door on the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armadamaster Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 (edited) Curious....I still haven't seen on of the "Negatoids Wrong" threads concerning what a joke the Five Hundread and now D3 Taurus is versus the 's. FORD'S NUMBERS! So, when will that thread be happening again....or shall we wait for restyle number 3 in 2010? As far as the Fukus goes, I was turned off by the pics of it, but it does look better in person. Edited March 1, 2008 by Armada Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Reynolds Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Curious....I still haven't seen on of the "Negatoids Wrong" threads concerning what a joke the Five Hundread and now D3 Taurus is versus the 's. FORD'S NUMBERS! So, when will that thread be happening again....or shall we wait for restyle number 3 in 2010? As far as the Fukus goes, I was turned off by the pics of it, but it does look better in person. As soon as you decipher fleet sales from retail, on both platforms. Let us know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furious1Auto Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 I will not own another new vehicle without the SYNC or a close variant being optioned in it. I just called my sales person and work a deal on a new vehicle, I was adimate at the negotiatings onset that it must be SYNC equipped. She told me everthing I wanted to here, the deal was right and then the last thing she told me was that the SYNC was not an option on the vehicle I chose. Sorry I will wait till it is then, the 09' 4X4 SuperCrew F-150 will be mine! :shades: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armadamaster Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 (edited) As soon as you decipher fleet sales from retail, on both platforms. Let us know? Because commercial fleet sales are teh devil..... So now that we've deflected my original inquiries now onto margins, what kinda profit margins do the LONG since paid for 's see versus the most likely still not anywhere close to being paid for D3's bring to the table....hmmm? Edited March 1, 2008 by Armada Master Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Reynolds Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Because commercial fleet sales are teh devil..... So now that we've deflected my original inquiries now onto margins, what kinda profit margins do the LONG since paid for 's see versus the most likely still not anywhere close to being paid for D3's bring to the table....hmmm? Your missing my point. The meat of the market (you know all that fruit that Toyota and Honda snatches up) aint related to fleet sales. Do you have profit margins for both the CV and D3s?? Lets not act as if this platform was engineered from scratch, nor that they haven't spawned other variants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armadamaster Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Your missing my point. The meat of the market (you know all that fruit that Toyota and Honda snatches up) aint related to fleet sales. Do you have profit margins for both the CV and D3s?? Lets not act as if this platform was engineered from scratch, nor that they haven't spawned other variants. As far as that goes, the "meat of the market" ain't buying either one of these cars, but at least commercial fleets are still buying the 's. As far as profit margins go, anyone with a lick of common sense will now it costs more to make the 3 year old D3 with extensive since launch upgrades versus the 10-16 year old . And those D3 "variants", aren't selling either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BORG Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 It would be more informative to compare retail to fleet year over year on the Focus. This car sold heavily to the daily rental agencies and that explains the bulk of its volume (at least 40%). The Focus otherwise has always sold poorly to real people. If they increased sales while dropping fleet by 20% or more, than the new Focus is making a positive impact. The Focus has also benefited from a very aggressive and expensive ad campaign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyle Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 IMO, Ford has a real winner in the Escape hybrid, yet its marketing is non existant. You don't see Toyota advertising the Prius either. Capacity constraints and high sales mean spend your marketing funds on something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P71_CrownVic Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 As far as that goes, the "meat of the market" ain't buying either one of these cars, but at least commercial fleets are still buying the 's. As far as profit margins go, anyone with a lick of common sense will now it costs more to make the 3 year old D3 with extensive since launch upgrades versus the 10-16 year old . And those D3 "variants", aren't selling either. Yeah, lets talk profit margins... How much money did Ford make in January when they sold a laughable 986 Sables? Answer...not near what the GM made... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 This car sold heavily to the daily rental agencies and that explains the bulk of its volume (at least 40%). This is an incredibly unsupportable claim, Borg. Fleet Central doesn't show 40% of Focus volume going to daily rental agencies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 (edited) And on top of that, the figures are from 12 months ago. Big changes have occurred since that last Fleet Central 2007 MY report and to say that selling Escape hybrids to fleets somehow diminishes the accomplishment is laughable. Edit, When is the Fusion Hybrid due? Edited March 1, 2008 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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