|
Browse by Tags
All Tags » Car Buying » Etc. » Ford ( RSS)
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying , Etc. , Ford Car payments are way down on the list of concerns for victims of the recent tornados in Iowa. Thus, Ford Motor Credit has introduced a Disaster Relief Program that will offer grace from one or two monthly payments to qualified customers. Lease customers, or buyers who financed purchases through Ford Credit or other brand-specific financing arms (Jaguar Credit, Land Rover Capital, Mazda American Credit, Primus, or Volvo Car Fiance) will be notified by mail about how to register. Once registered, customers can postpone one or two months worth of payments, allowing them to focus on putting their lives back together again before worrying about the next check to Ford. We expect other automakers to follow Ford's lead this week as the extent of damage caused by Iowa's strongest tornadoes in 32 years is fully revealed. [Source: Ford Motor Credit, Photo: NOAA] Continue reading Ford delays car payments for victims of Iowa tornado Permalink | Email this...
|
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying , Coupes , Etc. , Chevrolet , Ford , Honda , Jeep , Toyota , Volkswagen Research International USA's TRU branch has polled the youth of our country and discovered that they'd like a fun, stylish car more than anything (duh) -- namely the Mustang. Twenty-somethings posed the same question picked the Honda Civic above all else, mainly because they've had a dose of reality, and are now paying their own insurance and fuel. So what exactly does this study say? As you mature, your experience leads to more practical decision making, perhaps? That there's a whole subset of spoiled brat high schoolers who have their insurance and fuel paid for and also expect that being handed the keys to a 3,500 pound wheeled liability is a birthright? Probably a bit of both, we suppose, but the fact remains that the Mustang is a flashy, fun car that even non-car people could point out in a crowd and undoubtedly has decent youth appeal. The rest of the teens choices weren't...
|
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying , Etc. , Marketing/Advertising , Ford , Lincoln , Mercury Fresh off news that Ford Motor Company was raising prices by an average of $502 per vehicle, the Dearborn automaker told dealers that the company would significantly increase incentives. The goal is to keep older vehicles like the Mercury Milan and Ford F-150 moving off dealer lots while also appeasing a hurting dealer network. Ford plans on using marketing dollars to target specific regions of the US where a particular vehicle may be struggling. That may mean that in Chicago you can get $2,000 on the hood of a Milan, but in California incentives could reach $3,000. CNW Marketing Research President Art Spinella points out to The Detroit News that this selective spend approach is a lot like what new top marketing guy Jim Farley did successfully during his time at Toyota. After looking at all the red arrows in January's "By the Numbers" report here at Autoblog, we're guessing Ford isn't...
|
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying , Etc. , Earnings/Financials It was the best of times, it was the worst of times - it was 2007. Topping the sales figures for the year that almost was are mainly service vehicles, while the more ostentatious, less useful cars round out the bottom-feeder roster. Family cars at the top and niche cars in the basement doesn't tell the entire story, though. Yes, there are some cars that you expect would sell in small volumes. Sporty things like the Porsche Boxster, Vette-in-drag Caddy XLR , blob-tacular Lexus SC430 , and Audi A8/S8 über-sedan all sold in expected tiny numbers for such specialized machinery. Rounding out the nadir of automotive sales, you'll find nearly every Jaguar model, and some dead-on-the-vine products like the Mazda B-series pickups (Ford Ranger) and Isuzu Ascender (Chevy Trailblazer). Hit the jump to read more, and see the list [Source: Motor Authority] Continue reading MSNBC names the best and worst selling of 2007 Read | Permalink...
|
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying , Etc. , Mercury A paucity of hot product, and an unintentional buyer boycott has claimed the last Mercury-only dealership. Dealerships trading singularly in Mercury products were always few and far between; the brand was usually paired with Lincoln, but Community Motor Company in Canonsburg, PA has sold only new Mercurys for 57 years. The small family run dealership will continue to sell used vehicles, which have seen the franchise through even as yearly sales of new Mercurys have dropped to one third of their 1989 high point of 300 cars. The only salesperson, Joe Mastrangioli Jr., didn't feel any pressure from the Blue Oval to hang it up, but Ford does need to trim its retail network. Elevated age, health concerns, as well as a tough sales climate have made it feel like the right time for Community Motor to bow out. Mercury appears to be gasping for breath like a porgy washed ashore. They are nice enough cars; the Milan is handsome and nicely trimmed, the Sable...
|
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying , Economy , Sedans/Saloons , SUVs , Trucks/Pickups , Etc. , Cadillac , Chevrolet , Ford , Lexus , Toyota We've all seen the ads in the newspaper or in commercials that say you can get a new car with zero money down and only $299 per month. Quick math tells you that even after taxes and destination, you're only paying about $4,400 the first year to own a brand new car. A recent study by consulting firm Runzheimer International shows that a new car will cost you considerably more in overall operating costs. At 15,000 miles per year, the cost of insurance, gasoline, fees, depreciation, and maintenance can drive the overall cost near $20,000 per year. The 2008 Cadillac STS was tops in this year's test, costing buyers $19,537. The Lexus LS460 was close behind at $19,372. Big vehicles cost quite a bit also, with Ford's E-350 XL SuperDuty tallying a $16,543 bill followed by the Chevy Tahoe LS 4x4 at $15,789. There were some relatively low cost vehicles as...
|
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying , Etc. , Ford , Earnings/Financials The American Family Association began a boycott against Ford back in March 2006 (not its first one, mind you). The boycott stemmed from Ford's refusing to cave in to the AFA's demands, which...
|
|
|
|