mackinaw Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 From today's Automotive News. Article by Jamie LaReau: "Ford expects to sell more passenger cars into commercial fleets during the first quarter compared with last year as large corporations restock inventory." "That's a first because, typically, Ford's biggest sellers into commercial fleets are pickup trucks and vans." "One reason for the boost is the improving economy, which frees corporate purse strings to buy more fleet vehicles, says Jim Farley, Ford's group vice president of global marketing in an interview with Automotive News. Also, the strength of the residual values on the Fusion sedan is making it attractive to large corporations, Farley adds." “We're seeing a whole new group of clients come to us saying we want to buy Fusions,” Farley says. “We've never had that before, at least in the recent past, and that has really grown our commercial fleet business.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Mary3 Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Is that because of an increase in cars sales to fleets, or a drop in truck sales to fleets? Can't help but think discontinuing the diesel E series cost Ford a lot of truck fleet sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron W. Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 "Ford expects to sell more passenger cars into commercial fleets Waiting for comments pertaining to resale value................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aneekr Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 ...“We're seeing a whole new group of clients come to us saying we want to buy Fusions,” Farley says. “We've never had that before, at least in the recent past, and that has really grown our commercial fleet business.” The high fuel efficiency Fusion S model in particular is in very high demand by commercial fleet customers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausrutherford Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 As long as its not to Rental fleets, its fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY93SHO Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Is that because of an increase in cars sales to fleets, or a drop in truck sales to fleets? Can't help but think discontinuing the diesel E series cost Ford a lot of truck fleet sales. Really? OK folks, you'll be doing ambulance runs in Fusions now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzcat Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 As long as its not to Rental fleets, its fine. Daily rental fleet is what really kills resale. Sales of mid trim or high trim models to large company or Govt agencies won't necessarily do any harm. All those Escape hybrids in fleets haven't exactly cratered the resale value on those cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Mary3 Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Daily rental fleet is what really kills resale. Sales of mid trim or high trim models to large company or Govt agencies won't necessarily do any harm. All those Escape hybrids in fleets haven't exactly cratered the resale value on those cars. Very true. Daily rental fleets kill resale because they typically sell off the cars at 18 months, 2 years at the most. That makes for pleanty of clean late model used cars availble at low prices, undercutting new car sales. Commercial fleets typically hold on to vehicles much longer, and when they are sold they are not competing with new cars sales. And the fact that often they are thrashed within an inch of their lives doesn't hurt either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 (edited) Sadly, this common sense approach to fleet sales means the demise of dirt cheap solidly reliable used cars like the Taurus & Sable. Edited January 21, 2010 by RichardJensen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausrutherford Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Sadly, this common sense approach to fleet sales means the demise of dirt cheap solidly reliable used cars like the Taurus & Sable. Let Kia and Hyundai do it. :shades: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Sadly, this common sense approach to fleet sales means the demise of dirt cheap solidly reliable used cars like the Taurus & Sable. Spoken by a man who bought a dirt cheap reliable Sable. I almost bought one of those a couple years ago as a daily driver when gas prices shot up...thankfully I don't need one now. Working from home has definite advantages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BORG Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Any fleet sales of passenger cars concerns me, lets hope they do it responsibly. My first car was a used fleet Taurus...my how I miss those days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 I've seen quite a few Fusion Hybrids being used as VIP vehicles where I work at for the Military. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfeg Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Nothing wrong with commercial fleets. Think company cars. Ford has not had much in that in the last several years. From my past experience, cars in such fleets are replaced on a regular schedule based on mileage / years. Back when I was one driving a company car they were replaced at 60k miles or 4 years (whichever came first). Most cars in that fleet hit 60K in less than 2 years. Today the fleets seem to be extending the mileage to closer to 80k, and in the current economy many have been holding on to them as long as maintence cost + lease cost is not much more than a new unit lease. Most cars for commercial fleets are purchased by leasing companies, and do not turn up in the used car market huge lots, but rather as a fairly steady stream to the used car auctions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aneekr Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Most cars for commercial fleets are purchased by leasing companies, and do not turn up in the used car market huge lots, but rather as a fairly steady stream to the used car auctions. Exactly- acquisition, maintenance, and remarketing are core business areas for leasing/fleet management companies like Donlen, Wheels, ARI, PHH Arval, and GE Capital. I'll quote Ed Bobit from Automotive Fleet magazine once again: "Fleet is damn important!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atvman Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 My brother drives a used fleet Taurus, I think it's a 2006 or 2007. Anyways, he bought it in late 2007 with 20K on the ticker. Now it has 60K on it and it has never been in the shop once, well, other than when he got hit by another driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waymondospiff Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Sadly, this common sense approach to fleet sales means the demise of dirt cheap solidly reliable used cars like the Taurus & Sable. That's what the Impala is for. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 That's what the Impala is for. But it's a CHEVY!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford Jellymoulds Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 (edited) Make sure Hertz Cyprus is well stocked with Fiesta's, l will let the wife drive it for the weeks vacation on secret test drive she does not know about, she might end up being private Fiesta buyer when we get back home. Good to see Ford want to keep production lines buzzing with more work, more jobs, make more money from spares parts, more folk getting hooked on cheap second hand Fords. Win Win Win Ford have been doing it for years in Europe with the Focus & Mondeo they are the UK's top two best selling fleet cars, we don't have a problem with it. Good cars are sought after in what ever market they sell into Private or Rental. Fiat 500 is the biggest driving school fleet/hire/private cars in the UK, and it has the least depreciation of any cars in the UK it has built in mojo that keeps residuals one of the highest in the country. Depreciators named and shamed - UK Top 10 performers: Loss of value after 10,000 miles of driving 1 Honda Jazz (08 on) - £1,379 2 Fiat 500 (08 on) - £1,460 3 SEAT Ibiza (08 on) - £1,552 4 Hyundai i10 (08 on) - £1,650 5 Mazda2 (07 on) - £1,702 6 Kia Picanto (04 on) - £1,760 7 VW Fox (06 on) - £1,781 8 Suzuki Swift (05 on) - £1,900 9 Toyota Aygo (05 on) - £2,148 10 Mitsubishi i (07 on) - £2,271 LINK Edited January 22, 2010 by Ford Jellymoulds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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