Ford says it will stop competing

Nothing says "capitalism" like companies exiting markets.

https://apnews.com/article/ford-investor-competition-farley-capital-markets-3ac694c907000f37f9c18f55cfd3e7df

Trapper Gus wrote:Nothing says "capitalism" like companies exiting markets.

https://apnews.com/article/ford-investor-competition-farley-capital-markets-3ac694c907000f37f9c18f55cfd3e7df

Farley is a joke.

It looks to me as if the Ford Family no longer cares about the Family Business.

Farly is a car guy, but on the Sales side, unlike the airplane guy Ford had a couple of CEO's ago. Not sure which one decided making cars was a loser and switched to making mostly trucks.

Trapper Gus wrote:It looks to me as if the Ford Family no longer cares about the Family Business.

Farly is a car guy, but on the Sales side, unlike the airplane guy Ford had a couple of CEO's ago. Not sure which one decided making cars was a loser and switched to making mostly trucks.

Trucks sell.

You want something small to drive? We'll sell you a Maverick. Well, actually, it will take 1.5 years for you to get one because we don't make enough, the dealer will try to gouge you for a $5K ADM, and there'll probably be three recalls that need to be fixed, but we'll sell you one.

And then there will be the media pieces asking why no one buys American anymore.

We argue on this forum about EV vs. ICE, and it won't matter, because by 2035 it will be whatever the latest Dongfeng Gungquii Song T35x runs.

Trapper Gus wrote:Nothing says "capitalism" like companies exiting markets.

https://apnews.com/article/ford-investor-competition-farley-capital-markets-3ac694c907000f37f9c18f55cfd3e7df

what does this mean?

also, feel free to keep it to 2-3 sentences using words that a 4th grader will likely understand.

For over 2 decades ago Ford was forcing dealers to take a minimum number of Escort and then Focus models, Taurus, Fusions and even Escapes to get their maximum allotment F150's and F250's.

Ford hasn't wanted to be in the passenger car market since the Taurus that dominated the midsize passenger car segment from '85 until the early 2000's.

I think Ford has looked at what's happening in the US (and globally) and admitted that they are best at building high margin vehicles that their customers want. Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Kia all are making passenger cars that often outsold Ford's offerings. But Toyota and Nissan haven't been about to knock Ford or Chevrolet off the #1 and #2 spots for half ton pickups.

TravelinMan wrote:

Trapper Gus wrote:It looks to me as if the Ford Family no longer cares about the Family Business.

Farly is a car guy, but on the Sales side, unlike the airplane guy Ford had a couple of CEO's ago.  Not sure which one decided making cars was a loser and switched to making mostly trucks.

Trucks sell.

You want something small to drive?  We'll sell you a Maverick.  Well, actually, it will take 1.5 years for you to get one because we don't make enough, the dealer will try to gouge you for a $5K ADM, and there'll probably be three recalls that need to be fixed, but we'll sell you one.

And then there will be the media pieces asking why no one buys American anymore.

We argue on this forum about EV vs. ICE, and it won't matter, because by 2035 it will be whatever the latest Dongfeng Gungquii Song T35x runs.

Markets are fragmented so not one type of vehicle works in all markets.  Truck buyers are dumb enough to pay way more for trucks than it takes to build them, so sure, better to sell in a market where the buyers just hand you cash, no questions asked.

Of course, Henry's motto was sell more cars, not sell fewer cars at a higher markup.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:

Trapper Gus wrote:Nothing says "capitalism" like companies exiting markets.

https://apnews.com/article/ford-investor-competition-farley-capital-markets-3ac694c907000f37f9c18f55cfd3e7df

what does this mean?

also, feel free to keep it to 2-3 sentences using words that a 4th grader will likely understand.

Should have included a "/s", sorry.

As TM is pointing out, this is unregulated free market capitalism, which will work unless someone else starts selling trucks at a price closer to the cost.

TravelinMan wrote:

Trapper Gus wrote:It looks to me as if the Ford Family no longer cares about the Family Business.

Farly is a car guy, but on the Sales side, unlike the airplane guy Ford had a couple of CEO's ago. Not sure which one decided making cars was a loser and switched to making mostly trucks.

Trucks sell.

You want something small to drive? We'll sell you a Maverick. Well, actually, it will take 1.5 years for you to get one because we don't make enough, the dealer will try to gouge you for a $5K ADM, and there'll probably be three recalls that need to be fixed, but we'll sell you one.

And then there will be the media pieces asking why no one buys American anymore.

We argue on this forum about EV vs. ICE, and it won't matter, because by 2035 it will be whatever the latest Dongfeng Gungquii Song T35x runs.

I got mine at MSRP although it did take about a year to get it. The second one I ordered just came in after ordering it late last year but I decided I didn't want. Dealer wasn't going to add anything to that one either. There are some good dealers around and then there are some real ahole dealers that will charge $1000 for a coat of wax.

Trapper Gus wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote: what does this mean?

also, feel free to keep it to 2-3 sentences using words that a 4th grader will likely understand.

Should have included a "/s", sorry.

As TM is pointing out, this is unregulated free market capitalism, which will work unless someone else starts selling trucks at a price closer to the cost.

thanks. That might help.

Jake from State Farm wrote:

TravelinMan wrote:

Trucks sell.

You want something small to drive?  We'll sell you a Maverick.  Well, actually, it will take 1.5 years for you to get one because we don't make enough, the dealer will try to gouge you for a $5K ADM, and there'll probably be three recalls that need to be fixed, but we'll sell you one.

And then there will be the media pieces asking why no one buys American anymore.

We argue on this forum about EV vs. ICE, and it won't matter, because by 2035 it will be whatever the latest Dongfeng Gungquii Song T35x runs.

I got mine at MSRP although it did take about a year to get it. The second one I ordered just came in after ordering it late last year but I decided I didn't want. Dealer wasn't going to add anything to that one either. There are some good dealers around and then there are some real ahole dealers that will charge $1000 for a coat of wax.

In this market that was a good price.  However, MSRP has the mark up I'm talking about.  Even the dealer wholesale price has it.  Nothing we can do about that until dealers cannot sell the trucks.

Jake from State Farm wrote:

TravelinMan wrote:

Trucks sell.

You want something small to drive? We'll sell you a Maverick. Well, actually, it will take 1.5 years for you to get one because we don't make enough, the dealer will try to gouge you for a $5K ADM, and there'll probably be three recalls that need to be fixed, but we'll sell you one.

And then there will be the media pieces asking why no one buys American anymore.

We argue on this forum about EV vs. ICE, and it won't matter, because by 2035 it will be whatever the latest Dongfeng Gungquii Song T35x runs.

I got mine at MSRP although it did take about a year to get it. The second one I ordered just came in after ordering it late last year but I decided I didn't want. Dealer wasn't going to add anything to that one either. There are some good dealers around and then there are some real ahole dealers that will charge $1000 for a coat of wax.

Glad to hear there are still some people in this country that can afford to buy a new car.

Ford used to sell small, fuel efficient vehicles at the tiniest of margins to offset the fuel efficiency of the larger vehicles so they could meet CAFE standards. They can do that now through technology and other means, so they don't need to sell those smaller vehicles.

Motown Spartan wrote:Ford used to sell small, fuel efficient vehicles at the tiniest of margins to offset the fuel efficiency of the larger vehicles so they could meet CAFE standards. They can do that now through technology and other means, so they don't need to sell those smaller vehicles.

This...

The new Eco tech engines developed in Europe are the standard ICE engines for Ford, now. The 1.3 liter in my 2022 Bronco Sport is running at about 32 mpg.