Transit Connect Sales Dud?

[FordBuyer]

News Alert...the TC is a sales dud IMO. Living in Metro Detroit, I hardly see them on streets months after hitting market. Ford has never sold more than 2,400 of them months after being at dealerships. Bill Brown Ford used to have lots on lot, but hardly orders them anymore. Blackwell Ford quit ordering them because no one wants one.

 

I doubt if Ford will build the TC here since it hasn't been a good seller in states. I would think that Ford had hoped to sell at least 5,000 of them/month, but so far not even close. Ford needs another 2,000/month seller like it needs a hole in the head. I look for Ford to pull the plug on the TC if it doesn't sell any better. Ford sells 10,000 E vans/month and only 2,000 TCs/month. That isn't going to go on forever.

 

I would have thought the TC would be a good seller with so many small businesses maybe needing a cargo van like the TC, but so far that hasn't happened. When you consider how big this country is and all the potential customers, 2,000 sales/month is abysmal.

[NickF1011]

News Alert: Transit Connect suppy levels are fix at low levels intentionally. Production and sales should increase considerably once they are built stateside. Until then, Ford is going to limit the number they import from Turkey.

 

There's nothing to see here, folks.

[Marginal Economist]

News Alert...the TC is a sales dud IMO. Living in Metro Detroit, I hardly see them on streets months after hitting market. Ford has never sold more than 2,400 of them months after being at dealerships. Bill Brown Ford used to have lots on lot, but hardly orders them anymore. Blackwell Ford quit ordering them because no one wants one.

 

I doubt if Ford will build the TC here since it hasn't been a good seller in states. I would think that Ford had hoped to sell at least 5,000 of them/month, but so far not even close. Ford needs another 2,000/month seller like it needs a hole in the head. I look for Ford to pull the plug on the TC if it doesn't sell any better. Ford sells 10,000 E vans/month and only 2,000 TCs/month. That isn't going to go on forever.

 

I would have thought the TC would be a good seller with so many small businesses maybe needing a cargo van like the TC, but so far that hasn't happened. When you consider how big this country is and all the potential customers, 2,000 sales/month is abysmal.

 

We can't get any allocation because fleets keep buying all the product. 2 out of the last 3 months production has been taken out of retail because of large fleet orders. We'd take a ton more if we could get them. There is also a 6 month lag based on the transportation and build time.

 

Metro Detroit is not hte center of the world. How much positive economic activity is occuring there?

[ausrutherford]

Utility van buyers are fickle, it wont be easy to change them to buy a compact van. I bet that most people who have bought the TC are new to the market. And since US sales are just short of Europes, its not bad.

[focus05]

They've swamped the streets of San Francisco. Businesses around here love them.

[Deanh]

News Alert: Transit Connect suppy levels are fix at low levels intentionally. Production and sales should increase considerably once they are built stateside. Until then, Ford is going to limit the number they import from Turkey.

 

There's nothing to see here, folks.

mis marketed IMO, and sorry 6.9 for 60 months doesnt cut it, the Connect works out pretty close in payments to a full size Econoline, which in most eyes is WAY more car. Ive sold a bunch of TC's but the complaints are ALL the same....financing isnt competitive unless one gos 36 months, and needs a better tranmission to lower the RPMs when cruising....and perhaps a tad more sound insulation....oh, andTOO many versions...

Edited July 2, 2010 by Deanh

[silvrsvt]

News Alert...the TC is a sales dud IMO. Living in Metro Detroit, I hardly see them on streets months after hitting market.

 

 

Don't base the success of a vehicle on your little slice of the world...where I live at, I've been seen more and more of them around since they've come out.

 

Plus I thought Ford was limiting sales of the TC to about 20-25K a year anyways?

[Extreme4x4]

I thought Ford only anticipated selling about 12K a year, until they were produced here??

 

I see them all over in AZ. Alot of resorts use them.

 

I am sure they will get updated drivelines, when they are produced here.

[silvrsvt]

mis marketed IMO, and sorry 6.9 for 60 months doesnt cut it, the Connect works out pretty close in payments to a full size Econoline, which in most eyes is WAY more car. Ive sold a bunch of TC's but the complaints are ALL the same....financing isnt competitive unless one gos 36 months, and needs a better tranmission to lower the RPMs when cruising....and perhaps a tad more sound insulation....oh, andTOO many versions...

 

Well Credit isn't exactly great right now anyways...

 

Can an Econoline get 25 MPG Highway?

 

As for the Transmission and Sound Insulation...who are selling them too?

[Deanh]

Well Credit isn't exactly great right now anyways...

 

Can an Econoline get 25 MPG Highway?

 

As for the Transmission and Sound Insulation...who are selling them too?

one produce company in particular that drives produce all over the State....he goes through GE Capitol Commercial financing anyways...but he is also the one, whilst loving the car, mentioned those two areas as room for improvement...

[FordBuyer]

Don't base the success of a vehicle on your little slice of the world...where I live at, I've been seen more and more of them around since they've come out.

 

Plus I thought Ford was limiting sales of the TC to about 20-25K a year anyways?

 

I'm basing it on 2,000 sales/month. Now maybe that sales figure meets maximum production, but not here in Michigan. They sit on dealer lots far too long. I can't see where Ford is happy with 2,000 sales/month. If that meets maximum production capacity for one month, then why bother? I do hope the TC sells well because of its small footprint and decent fuel efficiency including its impressive cargo capacity considering its small footprint. And btw, Metro Detroit is still a huge urban area and new vehicles do move off of dealer lots daily. And the auto manufacturers have built in customer base with all the auto and auto supplier employees located here with their discount plans. If Ford can't sell a new vehicle well here, chances are it won't sell very well nationally either.

[Ford Jellymoulds]

News Alert: Transit Connect suppy levels are fix at low levels intentionally. Production and sales should increase considerably once they are built stateside. Until then, Ford is going to limit the number they import from Turkey.

 

There's nothing to see here, folks.

 

Connect sales are almost the same as in Europe they float just above and below 3,000 in Europe in the 8 years its been here.

 

 

 

 

 

[TomServo92]

If Ford can't sell a new vehicle well here, chances are it won't sell very well nationally either.

 

IMO you overestimate the value of using Detroit as a barometer for the rest of the country.

[FordBuyer]

What makes Metro Detroit unique:

 

It's about the only multi million metro area in U.S. whereby you can see mostly domestic vehicles on road. I would estimate up to 80% of vehicles on road in most of Metro Detroit are D3 vehicles. It's like watching an old 70's and 80's TV show around here. It's great. D3 vehicles rule. Sure, the imports have made inroads, but still D3 dominate. In the yuppier, more toney areas of Metro Detroit like Birmingham, you will see more German imports, but most areas not. In fact, now you see more new Fusions and Escapes than ever. Fusions rule in Metro Detroit. E vans all over the place. F-Series a dime a dozen. Old Explorers and Windstars everywhere. Old Tauruses are are even more prevalent than new Fusions. I would say 1996-2005 Taurus is number one used car in Metro Detroit.

[ausrutherford]

I'm basing it on 2,000 sales/month. Now maybe that sales figure meets maximum production, but not here in Michigan. They sit on dealer lots far too long. I can't see where Ford is happy with 2,000 sales/month. If that meets maximum production capacity for one month, then why bother? I do hope the TC sells well because of its small footprint and decent fuel efficiency including its impressive cargo capacity considering its small footprint. And btw, Metro Detroit is still a huge urban area and new vehicles do move off of dealer lots daily. And the auto manufacturers have built in customer base with all the auto and auto supplier employees located here with their discount plans. If Ford can't sell a new vehicle well here, chances are it won't sell very well nationally either.

 

Metro Detroit's population is down over a Million in population and has been in recession of a decade...maybe that has something to do with it?

[Extreme4x4]

Exactly.

 

Fordbuyer seems to have a problem understand that the rest of the country is NOT Metro Detroit.

 

Here is a newsflash for you, fordbuyer. When your are is in a serious recession/depression, not many business's are buying new vehicles. Since the TC is a fleet product............... meaning, to business's................... this can have a huge effect on the amount sold.

 

Frankly, the last press I had seen on the TC, said that it was selling well above projections. All the more amazing, when you consider the state of the economy, and the business climate.

[wrongway]

I'm in Vegas and see at least one TC and Raptor a day(different one's) we've had TC taxis for month's and there are lots of delivery and porter vans for small & large business....I'm just guessing here but I would bet they sell more Raptor's here than metro Detroit.

[jpvbs]

Last weekend I saw two TCs that were being driven by older couples. They appeared to be consumer versions with rear seats, not the cargo vans. So some are acually being purchased by regular people as well.

[ANTAUS]

I've seen about a dozen of them around my area. I do remember they are in limited amounts as well.

[aneekr]

While I don't doubt FordBuyer's observation, it may well be the Metro Detroit economy that's the dud here, not Ford's Transit Connect.

 

According to my employer's fleet manager, the main issue with Transit Connects is demand is high in many parts of the U.S. Combined with the limited production numbers, OTD times are notably longer than E-Series as a result. 2010 TC is >16 weeks, 2011 TC >25 weeks!

[FordBuyer]

Exactly.

 

Fordbuyer seems to have a problem understand that the rest of the country is NOT Metro Detroit.

 

Here is a newsflash for you, fordbuyer. When your are is in a serious recession/depression, not many business's are buying new vehicles. Since the TC is a fleet product............... meaning, to business's................... this can have a huge effect on the amount sold.

 

Frankly, the last press I had seen on the TC, said that it was selling well above projections. All the more amazing, when you consider the state of the economy, and the business climate.

 

So what were the projections? 1,000/month? Because 2,000/month is best month so far. Ford has over 3,000 dealers and 33 in Metro Detroit alone not including Ann Arbor and Brighton. The Flex is called a sales dud because it sells "only" 4,000/month and the TC is doing great because it sells 2,000 in its best month. You are right....I don't get it.

 

And Metro Detroit still has about 5 million people as of last count not including the farther out suburbs like Ann Arbor, Brighton, Milford, and so on. It's still a major, major market and AGAIN, a built in customer base of thousands upon thousands of auto company employees and its suppliers that all have major campuses here. Hyundai and Kia also run all their test mules here along with other foreign auto companies. All the R&D is here in Metro Detroit. Within two miles of where I live, Yazaki and Bosch have major campus with thousands of employees. And I mean campuses on many acres of land with parking for many cars. That is one small example.

[ausrutherford]

So what were the projections? 1,000/month? Because 2,000/month is best month so far. Ford has over 3,000 dealers and 33 in Metro Detroit alone not including Ann Arbor and Brighton. The Flex is called a sales dud because it sells "only" 4,000/month and the TC is doing great because it sells 2,000 in its best month. You are right....I don't get it.

 

And Metro Detroit still has about 5 million people as of last count not including the farther out suburbs like Ann Arbor, Brighton, Milford, and so on. It's still a major, major market and AGAIN, a built in customer base of thousands upon thousands of auto company employees and its suppliers that all have major campuses here. Hyundai and Kia also run all their test mules here along with other foreign auto companies. All the R&D is here in Metro Detroit. Within two miles of where I live, Yazaki and Bosch have major campus with thousands of employees. And I mean campuses on many acres of land with parking for many cars. That is one small example.

 

And the 5 million people living there are poorer than in years past and the businesses which buy them as well.

[Deanh]

So what were the projections? 1,000/month? Because 2,000/month is best month so far. Ford has over 3,000 dealers and 33 in Metro Detroit alone not including Ann Arbor and Brighton. The Flex is called a sales dud because it sells "only" 4,000/month and the TC is doing great because it sells 2,000 in its best month. You are right....I don't get it.

 

And Metro Detroit still has about 5 million people as of last count not including the farther out suburbs like Ann Arbor, Brighton, Milford, and so on. It's still a major, major market and AGAIN, a built in customer base of thousands upon thousands of auto company employees and its suppliers that all have major campuses here. Hyundai and Kia also run all their test mules here along with other foreign auto companies. All the R&D is here in Metro Detroit. Within two miles of where I live, Yazaki and Bosch have major campus with thousands of employees. And I mean campuses on many acres of land with parking for many cars. That is one small example.

the people calling those / these two vehicles duds have ZERO clues as to why projections may be lower than initially thought...pretty friggen obvious if you ask me....I would go so far to say the same naysayers could call 90% of ALL vehicles sales duds due to them not living up to initial speculations.....course the economy and fear of it getting worse would hav NOTHING to do with people backing off purchasing the SECOND BIGGEST INVESTMENT, would it? Gee, last time I looked Real Estate was in the gutter as well....very strange....NOT!

[FordBuyer]

Last weekend I saw two TCs that were being driven by older couples. They appeared to be consumer versions with rear seats, not the cargo vans. So some are acually being purchased by regular people as well.

 

Yes, on TC sticker it's called a passenger van. I saw an older couple other day driving one. They have full windows on side and rear. They probably turned in their 1979 Fairmont wagon for one. :happy feet: In fact, I did see an elderly couple motoring down the road yesterday in a yellow Fairmont wagon in pristine condition. It did put a smile on my face. And to think Ford made economical wagons back then.

[FordBuyer]

the people calling those / these two vehicles duds have ZERO clues as to why projections may be lower than initially thought...pretty friggen obvious if you ask me....I would go so far to say the same naysayers could call 90% of ALL vehicles sales duds due to them not living up to initial speculations.....course the economy and fear of it getting worse would hav NOTHING to do with people backing off purchasing the SECOND BIGGEST INVESTMENT, would it? Gee, last time I looked Real Estate was in the gutter as well....very strange....NOT!

 

Well Dean....I respect your opinion. Honestly, I never saw the Flex as a sales dud and 4,000/month for an expensive, 19mpg wagon in mixed driving sounds OK to me. And since the consensus here seems to be the TC is selling well, I will go along with the consensus since everyone on here knows about the auto industry.