F-Series sales DOWN a whopping 38+%. A new model with a $3K rebate attached and sales are where? In the toilet. Ford will HAVE to amp up rebates/incentives big time very shortly. Which is great news for those who want the new 09's F-150.

 

Auto sales in general are in the toilet.

 

California has always been the for-runner in auto sales here in the US. And yes they are in a depression out there. Just look at Toyota's sales numbers from that part of America. They're down big time and Ca. has always been their strong suit. So it is safe to say incentives will ramp up. How high I know not but one thing is for sure they're coming.

 

Those numbers are bad, but Ford's market share is up. Other folks are hating it.

 

I'm not seeing any rebates around here, in fact, I've only seen one F-150 commercial twice since the truck came out and it was lame.

GM is talking big smack about thier XFE truck, Ford should be doing likewise with the SFE. Ford has so many cool things to advertise on the '09 F-150 but I'm not seeing it.

Tim

 

Ford had been offering $3K for sometime. I even saw a $4K on the XLT one night watching TV. So yes, they offered up, IMO, a pretty decent salvo in the incentives war. Not anymore however.

 

The real incentives were on the '08's. They sold out almost completely last month. Hence, the truck numbers in January were bad, but even worse were the '09 sales. This will continue until they offer substantial incentives. Desperate times call for desperate measures and $3K cash back isn't doing it. Most people will just keep driving their older truck. I'm in construction and used to see subcontractors get new trucks or add to their fleet beginning every year. I haven't seen ONE with a new F150 yet and have yet to see a single ONE on the road. Plenty of '08's though.

 

GM sales are down over %50. So it isnt just Ford. Fleet sales are way down for both. January is usually the slowest sales month off the year. What are Feb incentines. Anybody know. I see quite a few 09s around my area. For ony being out about three months sales have not been to bad although not as good as they would like.

 

Fleet sales and rental fleet sales are way off, distorting the numbers. Actual retail sales to the rest of the buyers was not as bad as the raw percentages indicates.
Guys like me that are still driving their very good old trucks are what is hurting sales.
Jim
Chandler, Az
84 F150 XL short bed, I6, T18, 3.55 diff, 233K, one owner

 

Here's the top selling cars in US through January with numbers sold compared to '08 (from Reuters):

RANK VEHICLE 2009 2008 '08 RANK % Chng
1 Ford F-Series P/U 25,237 41,125 1 -38.6
2 Chevy Silverado-C/K P/U 23,987 36,122 2 -33.6
3 Toyota Camry 20,782 31,601 3 -34.2
4 Toyota Corolla 19,238 20,736 4 -7.2
5 Honda Accord 16,581 23,957 6 -30.8
6 Honda Civic 14,198 20,993 8 -32.4
7 Nissan Altima 14,135 21,635 9 -34.7
8 Honda CR-V 13,143 16,016 11 -17.9
9 Dodge Ram P/U 12,843 19,902 5 -35.5
10 Chevrolet Malibu 9,312 14,541 26 -36.0
11 Ford Escape 8,360 11,191 17 -25.3
12 Ford Fusion 8,152 9,183 20 -11.2
13 Toyota Prius 8,121 11,379 16 -28.6
14 Toyota RAV4 8,034 10,897 18 -26.3
15 GMC Sierra P/U 8,020 13,200 12 -39.2
16 Ford Focus 7,769 11,600 15 -33.0
17 Toyota Tundra 7,076 12,037 23 -41.2
18 Chevrolet Impala 7,060 17,544 7 -59.8
19 Honda Pilot 6,679 8,375 -20.3
20 Toyota Sienna 6,526 10,406 24 -37.3

So Ford F series is still #1. However, if you look at sales numbers in their report, most appear to be '08 models (with huge incentives) sold for little profit. (Sorry the formatting was lost when I pasted)

 

I can't justify to myself on spending 30k + on a truck right now when my perfectly fine 06 Ranger will be paid on in 5 months.

 

Its kind off scary out there in the auto business. GMs running on fumes big goverment money right now. Sales down 50%. How can they pay back those loans an still make money. I cant see that happening. Might have to go the trip before its over. Ford is in bad shape as well. But have a more cash cushion then GM. I hope for the sake off the country no automaker has to file bankruptcy. That would not be good. If gas gets real high next summer it will be the final nail in the coffin for a troubled auto industry. Last summers fuel prices are still having after effects.

 

I th ink you've touched on a common fear. Gas has already been north of $4, what's stopping them from doing it again? Maybe it will happen just in time to save the 2010 Fusion Hybrid.

Tim

 

I think that one of the big three has to go down for the others to survive. I think they need the other's market share.

I was reading yesterday that Ford's plan to return to profitability counts on 11-12 million new vehicle sales this year. IMO that's not going to happen.

Mike

 

dont you see it, they need to file chapter 11 and reorganize without the unions running things. That is the only way gm and ford will survive. The unions have destroyed the us auto makers. It is ridiculous how much they are paying bottom of the barrel jobs in some of the plants.