Ford August 2010 Sales Figure Discussion

[jasonj80]

http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=33148

 

 

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 1, 2010 – Consumer demand for Ford’s fresh lineup of high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles helped the company continue to grow its retail market share in August for the 22nd time in the last 23 months.

 

Ford, Lincoln and Mercury dealers delivered 157,503 new vehicles in August, down 11 percent versus a year ago, when Ford outpaced the industry during the “Cash for Clunkers” sales program.

 

Year-to-date, Ford sales totaled 1.28 million, up 18 percent – double the growth of the overall industry.

 

“Ford continues to outperform the overall industry,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “In this market, consumers are looking for vehicles that offer industry-leading quality, fuel economy, safety and technologies, and growing numbers of them are turning to Ford.”

 

Last August, the Ford Focus and Escape were among the industry’s best sellers during the “Cash for Clunkers” program. Even though both products had strong sales results this August, they had large declines against last year’s record sales.

 

Products with higher sales than a year ago include:

 

•Ford’s popular F-Series truck, which posted one of its highest sales months in the last two years. August sales totaled 47,652, up 5 percent versus a year ago. Year-to-date, F-Series sales totaled 338,446, making it the only U.S. vehicle to eclipse the 300,000 milestone in 2010.

•Sales for Ford’s E-Series van totaled 10,251, up 92 percent versus a year ago. The E-Series van has been America’s best-selling commercial van for 31 straight years; year-to-date sales totaled 74,608.

•Taurus sales were 5,122 in August, up 51 percent. The all-new Taurus debuted a year ago and has posted strong year-to-year increases every month since introduction. Taurus year-to-date sales are more than double last year’s sales.

•Although total sales were down slightly from last August, Mustang retail sales are up 15 percent.

Sales Outlook and North American Production

In the fourth quarter of 2010, Ford plans to produce 570,000 vehicles. In the fourth quarter of 2009, the company Ford produced 574,000.

 

“The Ford plan is to match capacity with the real demand, and we continue to monitor the key economic indicators as we make adjustments,” Czubay said.

 

In the third quarter, Ford plans to produce 570,000 vehicles, unchanged from the previously announced level.

[silvrsvt]

Nice to see that the Taurus is finally starting to take off and is doubling its numbers from last year!

[FordBuyer]

Not a good month for new vehicle sales. Very few bright spots for month as I reveiew how each vehicle sold. F-Series did OK and so did E-Van sales, but most everything else down double digit. I realize it was in comparison to C4C, but still not much good there. Even Mustang struggled along with the usual laggards. Not many willing customers out there willing to take on 72 month auto loan unless they have to.

[ANTAUS]

Noticed many ran out and bought the land Grand Marquis...MKT and MKS sales are abysmal. MKS is getting old and tired so a refresh should be coming shortly, but the MKT has lackluster sales for a new vehicle....

[smok]

Not bad at all. Econoline doubled in sales?!?!

Everything is holding up ok. I am not sure about the Flex. I was hoping the Fiesta would do a little better....

[Ford Jellymoulds]

Crown Victoria sales up +46.6% & Lincoln Town Car up +194%, Panther go baby go show them how its done.

[OHV 16V]

Noticed many ran out and bought the land Grand Marquis...MKT and MKS sales are abysmal. MKS is getting old and tired so a refresh should be coming shortly, but the MKT has lackluster sales for a new vehicle....

 

Good point. In fact, aside from the added MKT sales (Unavailable last year), Lincoln's stalwart Town Car and Navigator are responsible for the 9.4% growth...

Edited September 1, 2010 by OHV 16V

[silvrsvt]

I was hoping the Fiesta would do a little better....

 

I'm going to assume it has to do partly with production delays and building up dealer stock...

[OHV 16V]

And while the F-Series did well numbers-wise, I'd be curious to see the actual profit margin compared to last year. The reason I say that is because I know that F-150s have had AT LEAST $4500 cash on the hood in my area practically this entire calendar year so far. To be fair, the other automakers have had rebates as well, but they have numerically been up and down.

[OHV 16V]

I'm going to assume it has to do partly with production delays and building up dealer stock...

 

+1

[FordBuyer]

Not bad at all. Econoline doubled in sales?!?!

Everything is holding up ok. I am not sure about the Flex. I was hoping the Fiesta would do a little better....

 

The Fiesta launch has been very disappointing. First the hurricane destroying the tracks and road bed, and then the stopping of shipment. Now Ford dealers have no Fiestas on their lot and who knows when new shipments will appear. It takes over two weeks to ship them to states as it is. This Mexican production is really biting Ford in the ass. It's a rare occurence to see a Fiesta on a dealer lot, and even when they are finally shipped, each dealer is lucky to get 2 or 3 at best. The dealers around me haven't had a new Fiesta on lot for at least two weeks and counting. And to think Fiesta went into production back in April. For a minor part problem, why hold up shipment from Mexico? Ship as usual and get it to dealer and let them fix problem before selling. Shipping times from Mexico are bad enough as it it. I would never preorder a vehicle built in Mexico.

[Ford Jellymoulds]

I'm going to assume it has to do partly with production delays and building up dealer stock...

 

Mexican donkeys are a bit stubborn when they are pulling Fiesta's over the border.

 

 

 

[OHV 16V]

...For a minor part problem, why hold up shipment from Mexico? Ship as usual and get it to dealer and let them fix problem before selling...

 

I disagree with you BIG TIME on that one. First, if you can catch a quality problem before it leaves the factory, then for God's sake fix it there while you still have everything in-house! NEVER let it get to the street if you can help it. That's just taking care of the problem at its source. Secondly, while we'd like to think that all service departments are created equal, we all know that's not the case. So why would you trust it to people that are farther removed from the situation to fix your problem properly? From a quality standpoint, that's just asking for it. Then, John Q. Public now knows there's an issue, the talking starts, etc. Public perception may or may not be affected, but still... Again, keep it off the street if possible.

 

I understand folks that have been waiting patiently, but if it were me, I'd be happy that they took the time to stop and fix a defect before they sent it to me, even if the dealer would handle it anyway.

[silvrsvt]

The Fiesta launch has been very disappointing.

 

hahaha you don't remember The Focus or Escapes Launches? LOL

 

 

 

 

 

[FordBuyer]

I disagree with you BIG TIME on that one. First, if you can catch a quality problem before it leaves the factory, then for God's sake fix it there while you still have everything in-house! NEVER let it get to the street if you can help it. That's just taking care of the problem at its source. Secondly, while we'd like to think that all service departments are created equal, we all know that's not the case. So why would you trust it to people that are farther removed from the situation to fix your problem properly? From a quality standpoint, that's just asking for it. Then, John Q. Public now knows there's an issue, the talking starts, etc. Public perception may or may not be affected, but still... Again, keep it off the street if possible.

 

I understand folks that have been waiting patiently, but if it were me, I'd be happy that they took the time to stop and fix a defect before they sent it to me, even if the dealer would handle it anyway.

 

Rumor has it that it was a seat adjustor part. If that's true, again why hold up shipment when it takes soooooooo long to get Fiestas out of Mexico and to places like Michigan. So you are telling me Ford shouldn't trust a dealer to fix a seat adjustment, but it's ok for them to do millions of recalls for sometimes complicated items like rear axles breaking loose and severe electronic problems? I just had my Ford dealer put on four new tires plus of course mount and balance them. What's more of a safety item than the only things that touch the road when driving?

[FordBuyer]

Sorry to be cynical, but I know how much big companies think about profit or possible profit. So this is why I think Ford stopped shipment of almost 7,000 Fiestas meaning more long waits for customers:

 

It's CHEAPER to have Mexican workers in hot sun at $2/hour go from Fiesta to Fiesta installing new seat part than it is to pay Ford dealers something like $50/hour to do same simple job. Customers are inconvenienced again to optimize profit. Ford has about 3,000 dealers or so and at most we are only talking 3 Fiestas/dealership. Not a big job to fix here.

[FordBuyer]

Ford dealers do this all the time:

 

They take a new vehicle off the auto carrier and park it in back of lot as there is some problem. Could be a minor scratch during shipment or some other problem. Next day they fix it, prep it, and within days new owner drives off not any the wiser. I've witnessed porters hitting things in lot and doing damage just bringing in vehicle to have it prepped. Watch a porter drive sometimes. They could give a shit about customers new vehicle. I doubt very much if customer ever knows about repair. I know when I pick up a new vehicle I go over it for 30 minutes before I will accept it, and even a minor scratch or ding means it stays and is fixed before I drive off in it. For example, the local Ford dealer by me has some of the most reckless driving porters I have ever seen.

[weiweishen]

Not bad at all. Econoline doubled in sales?!?!

Everything is holding up ok. I am not sure about the Flex. I was hoping the Fiesta would do a little better....

I guess that Fiesta had quality check during last few weeks

[NickF1011]

Aww, Camaro outsold Mustang again this month. Good to see the back-and-forth though. It will make both vehicles better if it continues. Starting to look like it'll be the first year Camaro outsells the Mustang since I want to say 1993.

 

As for the Fiesta, I think many of us simply had too high expectations for it. While this month's total is a little less than I would expect, I'm not expecting this thing to be selling anywhere close to 10,000 units a month anytime soon. Even at 3500, that's right in the mix with sales of most other B-segment vehicles (600 more than Yaris, for example). If the Fiesta can settle into 4500-6000 units a month by the end of the year, I think that would be exceeding expectations.

 

Overall, I don't see this as a very bad month, considering last year was C4C and in comparison to the performance of other companies.

Edited September 1, 2010 by NickF1011

[TomServo92]

Sorry to be cynical, but I know how much big companies think about profit or possible profit. So this is why I think Ford stopped shipment of almost 7,000 Fiestas meaning more long waits for customers:

 

It's CHEAPER to have Mexican workers in hot sun at $2/hour go from Fiesta to Fiesta installing new seat part than it is to pay Ford dealers something like $50/hour to do same simple job. Customers are inconvenienced again to optimize profit. Ford has about 3,000 dealers or so and at most we are only talking 3 Fiestas/dealership. Not a big job to fix here.

 

The flaw in your theory is that they also hold vehicles at US factories as well. If it were just a Mexican labor thing, they wouldn't do that. IMO, it's just standard operating procedure.

[FordBuyer]

Aww, Camaro outsold Mustang again this month. Good to see the back-and-forth though. It will make both vehicles better if it continues. Starting to look like it'll be the first year Camaro outsells the Mustang since I want to say 1993.

 

As for the Fiesta, I think many of us simply had too high expectations for it. While this month's total is a little less than I would expect, I'm not expecting this thing to be selling anywhere close to 10,000 units a month anytime soon. Even at 3500, that's right in the mix with sales of most other B-segment vehicles (600 more than Yaris, for example). If the Fiesta can settle into 4500-6000 units a month by the end of the year, I think that would be exceeding expectations.

 

Overall, I don't see this as a very bad month, considering last year was C4C and in comparison to the performance of other companies.

 

The only reason Fiesta sales are stuck at 3,000 is that most are sitting in holding lots in Mexico and most have not even been shipped up north. Ford has built over 20,000 Fiestas and only about 8,000 of those have made it to dealers in the states. Those sold quickly and now Ford dealers have no Fiestas to sell. They are vaporware right now. My Ford dealer had a demo Fiesta, but that vehicle was sold along with the one sitting in showroom. Bigger Ford dealer down road had up to 20 on lot a couple weeks ago, but none now. Ford could easily sell 7,000/month if dealers had them. They can't sell what they don't have. I doubt if September will be any better since it will be more weeks before new batch shows and that number is limited also. Hopfully many impatient customers who were hot on buying Fiesta will buy a Fusion instead since dealers have good supply of them ratther than lose sale to Toyota or Honda.

[NickF1011]

The only reason Fiesta sales are stuck at 3,000 is that most are sitting in holding lots in Mexico and most have not even been shipped up north. Ford has built over 20,000 Fiestas and only about 8,000 of those have made it to dealers in the states. Those sold quickly and now Ford dealers have no Fiestas to sell. They are vaporware right now. My Ford dealer had a demo Fiesta, but that vehicle was sold along with the one sitting in showroom. Bigger Ford dealer down road had up to 20 on lot a couple weeks ago, but none now. Ford could easily sell 7,000/month if dealers had them. They can't sell what they don't have. I doubt if September will be any better since it will be more weeks before new batch shows and that number is limited also. Hopfully many impatient customers who were hot on buying Fiesta will buy a Fusion instead since dealers have good supply of them ratther than lose sale to Toyota or Honda.

 

I still think you are being optimistic with those sales projections. And well, shipping them from Mexico is about as far a ride to several of the vehicle's major markets (west and gulf coasts) as it would be from Michigan, so the fact that they are built in Mexico has little to nothing to do with any of this.

[Hydro]

Dealers around me have tons of Fiestas in stock.

[NickF1011]

Dealers around me have tons of Fiestas in stock.

 

But you don't live in metro Detroit, so you have no idea what you are talking about. :rolleyes:

 

Fordvehicles.com shows 46 at the 4 closest dealers to me. I know that isn't always accurate, but I doubt they are sold out either.

Edited September 1, 2010 by NickF1011

[630land]

'Noticed many [car rental agencies] ran out and bought the Grand Marquis'. Wow, a record breaking 2788 last month! But year to date sales are 20,299. Also, Town Car sales are up 194%, they zoomed from 280 to 825!! They should now be able to keep plant running for years! Oops, sorry for the sarcasm,

 

I live by O-Hare-Chicago airport, and that's the only place I see shiny new Grand Marqs anymore. With barcodes and 'no smoking' stickers on them. Current 65 y/o people buy CUVs, SUVs, minivans or mid sized cars. The loyalists who bought GM's in the 1980's-90s are in nursing homes not buying cars anymore.

 

29 more days 'til the last Grand Marq rolls of the line.