Sherminator98 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Got this from a NY Times review of the flex: “It has a ton of room inside for families who don’t want to be in a minivan,” said Mr. Cicchetto, the A.T.V. dealer. Mr. Cicchetto is not alone in his dislike of minivans (a trend that recent sales figures confirm), and Ford clearly wanted the Flex to be a kind of antiminivan. Sliding doors were considered for the Flex, said Gary Boes, the chief engineer, but market research predicted that 70 percent of shoppers would not buy it simply because of the sliders. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/automobi...amp;_r=1&em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BORG Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Good info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battyr Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 For People who want sliding doors, Ford can sell them both the Transit and Transit connect. They just need to make them more appealing for the consumer buyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddaughter Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I need a minivan! I'm running out of Ford options very fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shllshck Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I need a minivan! I'm running out of Ford options very fast. There's plenty of Freestars, Windstars, and Aerostars on the used car market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxman100 Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Marketing people are never wrong. For our family, it has to have sliding doors. If I have to deal with normal doors when child #2 arrives, I'll just keep what I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Marketing people are never wrong. For our family, it has to have sliding doors. If I have to deal with normal doors when child #2 arrives, I'll just keep what I have. And for every person like you in the market there are 2.33 people that have the exact opposite opinion. Would you rather sell 30k vehicles or 70k vehicles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 And for every person like you in the market there are 2.33 people that have the exact opposite opinion. Would you rather sell 30k vehicles or 70k vehicles? No, there are 2.33 people who say they would not buy it. Not 2.33 people that are going to buy either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SVT_MAN Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 (edited) Marketing people are never wrong. For our family, it has to have sliding doors. If I have to deal with normal doors when child #2 arrives, I'll just keep what I have. If you want sliders, Ford isn't targeting you. Bottom line. You're probably someone who wants a Ford-branded Toyota Sienna, which Ford isn't buiding. Edited September 23, 2008 by SVT_MAN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 No, there are 2.33 people who say they would not buy it. Not 2.33 people that are going to buy either. Right. And Ford got their market research all screwed up on the '86 Taurus as well. Did you know that Lee Iacocca was once all excited because his guys had focus grouped the Dynasty, Celebrity, and Taurus, and the Dynasty had come out ahead of the Taurus? Problem was, the Dynasty was everyone's second choice, where the Taurus was 3rd choice when it wasn't first choice--it wasn't anyone's second choice. Point being, market research can be done right and it can be done wrong. Given the success of the hated around here Escape & Focus, I'd say Ford has figured out how to do it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSFan00 Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Given the success of the hated around here Escape & Focus, I'd say Ford has figured out how to do it right. Further, the Freestyle and Five hundred market research demonstrate that sometimes you can get lucky, and other times you just get, blah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Further, the Freestyle and Five hundred market research demonstrate that sometimes you can get lucky, and other times you just get, blah. Remember the line, 'what have you done for me lately'? 2005: Five Hundred/Freestyle, Focus refresh 2006: Fusion 2007: Edge 2008: Escape/Focus 2009: Flex--granted the jury's still out on the Flex--given the crappiness of the consumer economy. Ford has gotten better and better about aligning products to consumer tastes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joihan777 Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 (edited) Remember the line, 'what have you done for me lately'? 2005: Five Hundred/Freestyle, Focus refresh 2006: Fusion 2007: Edge 2008: Escape/Focus 2009: Flex--granted the jury's still out on the Flex--given the creepiness of the consumer economy. Ford has gotten better and better about aligning products to consumer tastes. You got it right on the money. I AM a minivan consumer. I did check out a Flex in person and I can tell you all that the Flex IS NOT a minivan competitor for anyone who needs more than 2 baby seats. The Flex is not as flexible with interior seating options [for babies/toddlers] as are larger minivans. It is a great design for older kids & teenagers however, and there the sliding doors are not necessary. The doors aren't very wide but ingress/egress is FANTASTIC because Ford decided to put some clever engineering into the way the rocker panels are integrated into the doors! I'll keep on eye on the Flex for when my kids get older, but for now this consumer doesn't need one. Interestingly, every Flex commercial I've seen exactly have ZERO images of mommies putting their babies in the car! Coincidence? Me thinks not, me thinks Ford is 'getting' their target cutomer, and it isn't the new mommy crowd! Edited September 23, 2008 by joihan777 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 You got it right on the money. I AM a minivan consumer. I did check out a Flex in person and I can tell you all that the Flex IS NOT a minivan competitor for anyone who needs more than 2 baby seats. The Flex is not as flexible with interior seating options [for babies/toddlers] as are larger minivans. It is a great design for older kids & teenagers however, and there the sliding doors are not necessary. The doors aren't very wide but ingress/egress is FANTASTIC because Ford decided to put some clever engineering into the way the rocker panels are integrated into the doors! I'll keep on eye on the Flex for when my kids get older, but for now this consumer doesn't need one. Interestingly, every Flex commercial I've seen exactly have ZERO images of mommies putting their babies in the car! Coincidence? Me thinks not, me thinks Ford is 'getting' their target cutomer, and it isn't the new mommy crowd! I respectfully disagree. We have a 5 and a 3 year old, with a new baby due in January. The Flex fits us perfectly! The 5 yo will sit in the back since she can buckle herself (in a booster seat of course). The 3 yo and newborn will sit in the middle. We have bucket seats in the middle row so the 5 yo can walk on back and we don't have to move any seats. And, there is plenty of room between the first and second row to get in and buckle the 3 yo and newborn. Couple that along with the fact that my wife did not want a minivan and you have the perfect vehicle for us. Ours is schedule to be delivered next week (the Flex...the baby will hopefully wait until January to be delivered)!! :happy feet: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherminator98 Posted September 26, 2008 Author Share Posted September 26, 2008 You got it right on the money. I AM a minivan consumer. I did check out a Flex in person and I can tell you all that the Flex IS NOT a minivan competitor for anyone who needs more than 2 baby seats. The Flex is not as flexible with interior seating options [for babies/toddlers] as are larger minivans. It is a great design for older kids & teenagers however, and there the sliding doors are not necessary. The doors aren't very wide but ingress/egress is FANTASTIC because Ford decided to put some clever engineering into the way the rocker panels are integrated into the doors! I'll keep on eye on the Flex for when my kids get older, but for now this consumer doesn't need one. Interestingly, every Flex commercial I've seen exactly have ZERO images of mommies putting their babies in the car! Coincidence? Me thinks not, me thinks Ford is 'getting' their target cutomer, and it isn't the new mommy crowd! It all depends on the needs and wants of the buyer... My sister has a 06 Explorer Limited and has 9 month old daughter and a 2 1/2 yr old son, and not once have I've heard complain about not having sliding doors, but I sure have hell heard her say...NO MINIVAN! Been trying to talk her into getting a Flex to replace the Explorer when the lease is up on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlight Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I need a minivan! I'm running out of Ford options very fast. I don't know where you are from, but my 2005 Freestar Limited only has about 13,500 miles on it and is like new. The lease is up this month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddaughter Posted October 25, 2008 Share Posted October 25, 2008 There's plenty of Freestars, Windstars, and Aerostars on the used car market. We buy new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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