Ford drops a bombshell..

[kritz]

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/abandon-car-ford-dropping-all-passenger-car-models-except-mustang

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[Micah]

how long until Lincoln gets the axe?

 

[typemismatch]

Apparently the new Accord, that everyone in the press loves, is seeing lackluster sales.

This is probably just a response to the prevailing trend of people buying more and more SUVs and crossovers. People want more room and the appearance of utility in their vehicles now.

Full sized sedans might all get the ax in the near future. Companies that struggle in the econo-box market will probably drop them all together and focus on their profitable product lines.

From the outside looking in, this might seem like a smart business decision, but I think that not having and entry level car in their lineup is going to cost them down the road. The entry level car gets the college crowd in the door and builds brand relationships. The Civic was Honda's "in" to the market and once people bought them, they tended to stay with Honda long term. With no cheap Escort/Focus in their lineup Ford might be shooting themselves in the foot.

 

[RODSCIVIC]

Yeah because Ford is a POS!

Based on what?

 

[charleswrivers]

Based on their history of lackluster value and reliability.

All the latest recalls speak for themselves.

https://media.ford.com/content/ford...r-company-issues-two-n-a--safety-recalls.html

F-150 no less, their best seller.

Issue with a new transmission they're starting to use. Based on that... Honda's are a POS too. The 9 speed Acura used that is getting sprinkled into the Odyssey line under the highest trim was reviled upon release. Their 5 speeds failed left and right some years back. Their 6 speed has several TSBs with lots of failures, especially on the heavier vehicles. Their 10 speed is an unknown... we shall see how it holds up. I know I won't buy a Honda with one until there's a few years of history on it.

Just saying'...

The sedan market is imploding. It's been going a long time. The remaining makers are trying to get a bigger piece of a shrinking pie. I guess Ford decided they didn't want to go for it.

 

[typemismatch]

The sales are down on the Accord because Honda just now started offering some discounts. I'm starting to see more on the road.

That's the problem, they have to offer rebates and discounts to sell them. That's the core issue, profitability.

 

[charleswrivers]

That's the problem, they have to offer rebates and discounts to sell them. That's the core issue, profitability.

That would be telling. American vehicles have been super devalued since time out of mind since the production from the factories has outstripped demand anywhere near MSRP. The factories have pushed rebates forever to move units. Honda had produced far fewer units but managed to sell them closer to MSRP than their GM/Ford counterparts. It doesn't bode well if they're having to do so as well to clear the lots of old stock at Honda dealerships. I didn't really read up on the stuff. Ford had already announced axing the Fiesta quite a while ago. I wonder if they're shifting tooling to other production stateside for other models or are curbing production altogether.

 

[baillieul]

Doesn't matter. We will be driverless in 10 years.

 

[charleswrivers]

Doesn't matter. We will be driverless in 10 years.

I'm sure there'll be a good bit of cars capable of self driving sold by then, but the vast majority on the road won't be.

Your timeline is faster than the timeframe of automakers starting to have backup cameras as standard equipment and sticking to it to them being mandated in the US... and that wasn't a fundamental change... but one of convenience and safety that got mandated for safety alone. I think having HAL drive our car for us is going to take awhile for a lot of people to get used to and I'm not sure what the added cost of integrating that tech is... but I wouldn't be surprised it it adds upwards of $5-10k.

 

[Frankakee]

I'm sure there'll be a good bit of cars capable of self driving sold by then, but the vast majority on the road won't be.

Your timeline is faster than the timeframe of automakers starting to have backup cameras as standard equipment and sticking to it to them being mandated in the US... and that wasn't a fundamental change... but one of convenience and safety that got mandated for safety alone. I think having HAL drive our car for us is going to take awhile for a lot of people to get used to and I'm not sure what the added cost of integrating that tech is... but I wouldn't be surprised it it adds upwards of $5-10k.

You get what you pay for. I would rather pay a few grand more for my Honda and just do maintenance and it have high resale value. I have had Fords before.....never again!

 

[Frankakee]

You get what you pay for. I would rather pay a few grand more for my Honda and just do maintenance and it have high resale value. I have had Fords before.....never again!

Also I don't see the fascinating with all these trucks jacked up with big tires and coaling! It's like the resurgence of Bigfoot when it came out for the first time. The LDT (little dick trucks) with the cockless balls hanging from the bumper...wtf

 

[Deleted member]

Doesn't matter. We will be driverless in 10 years.

Doubtful. Anyone who is in a driverless car when it gets into a car accident will be sure in their mind that they would have been able to avoid the accident if they were driving. It won't take but a couple more driverless car related fatalities before the entire idea is close to doomed in the eye of public perception.

 

[Ataricade]

Doesn't matter. We will be driverless in 10 years.

Lol we won’t be driverless in your lifetime. Lonnnnnnnnnnnng road ahead. We will see how they fair coated with ice on frozen roads.

They are not even remotely ready.

 

[charleswrivers]

You get what you pay for. I would rather pay a few grand more for my Honda and just do maintenance and it have high resale value. I have had Fords before.....never again!

Not sure how that pertained to my post but... ok. You do that. I'll keep my Honda, Honda, Nissan and Ford (17 years old with 196k miles BTW), maintain them and do the same...

Of the 2 Ford's I've personally owned... one was an Escape that my wife got in a pretty horrific accident (T-boned in the passenger side by an Accord that had been going 55 and barely put on the brakes). She walked away with airbag burns, seatbelt bruises and minor whiplash. It warped the frame to where the sunroof wouldn't close. Still... she was fine. Decent ride for the time (got a raging deal on a new Limited trim for about 21k back in '05), but bought another brand the next time up (Nissan Xterra 4x4) for the towing/4wd. That and my old man's F-150. I've never bought into brand hate.

The higher resale is largely based on those aforementioned factory rebates. The resell for a model year is generally based around what people pay based on the peak of the rebates. That's why folks who buy domestic w/o rebates gets screwed... the resale is based on the selling price with those rebates. It's the game you play buying American.

 

[vikz99]

Doesn't matter. We will be driverless in 10 years.

ahaha.. thats what they said 10 years ago.

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