Ford chief seeks help from Toyota

That's why Ford is turning to the Japanese for help. And they have to order lots of red ink pens from Staples.

Jeff

2) You should learn to not compare apples and oranges. You should be saying "Chevy sells more than any import brand" or "GM sells more than any import maker." A company (GM) and brand (Chevy) are not the same thing.

4) Who is expected to be the biggest car maker in the world next year? Toyota.

Jeff

Referencing below. Please dont post a statement from one person and leave my name on it as if I was the person who said it. I know its easy to lose track of who said what but in some circumstances wearing the black eye or taking the credit for someone elses statement can be the least desireable. I do feel that the domestics are making nice cars. Its just that when you are spending so much money you want something with a good reputation and that is something American manufacturers haven't had for some time.

Nick

I had a talk with the owner of a Toyota dealership today about Ford's problems. He said Ford has spent way too much money on acquiring brands (Volvo, Jaguar, Aston-Martin, Land Rover etc.) and not nearly enough on their own product development and this has left them in a financial bind. He then went on to rattle off all the new vehicles Toyota will bring to market this year and it is a long list. He said Toyota doesn't worry about buying other companies but they are concerned with upgrading and updating the model line on a regular basis. He said they are getting ready to launch a full sized truck that is going to take a huge bite out of GM and Ford's sales. If Ford starts to lose substantial F150 sales to Toyota then they are going to be in some serious $hit. He also said the Firestone tire debacle on the Explorers hit Ford very hard financially and has reduced the number of Explorers they sell by a good bit.

His take was that Ford needs more vehicles like the Edge to br> You obviously do not understand the automobile business. Economies of

Hey Hunter, don't you have anything else to say..? You sound like a broken record. And you know how bad a broken record sounds.

That may be your opinion but the fact is in the US both GM and Ford outsell any import. I was buying imports based on what people were saying, as well. I soon learned that the several Lexus I bought were no better than the domestics I had been buying, they just cost me more to buy. I now buy domestics again.

mike

It is just that when you are

Thats not my opinion that is my reasoning why foreign cars are doing so well because of reputation which usually takes time to change. Mike can you show me a link to back your statement that GM and Ford outsell imports in the US? Thanks.

Nick

Mike,

If you look at the new automobile sales market share for the last 30 years, you will see a very disturbing (unless you are a Japanese car manufacture) trend. The imports have been making a constant market share climb at the cost to the last two remaining domestic (Ford & GM) car makers.

Who is selling a few hundred more cars each year is just a footnote in the real story of the growing import dominance of the US new automobile sales market.

If you seriously can't see the disturbing decline of the domestic car makers grip on the US market, you need to open your eyes.

Nobody

Probbly just wanted to see if he could get a good deal on an '07 Solara

I think you are using the wrong tense. The sales of the domestic makes went down last year. The sales of Toyotas went up. Last month and this month, Toyota sold more vehicles in the US than Ford. Next year, it is expected that Toyota will sell more cars in the US than Ford. So a better statement is that Ford was the second largest car seller in the US, recently surpassed by Toyota.

My data come from Wards Auto and from an article on Market Place from American Publica Media (a public radio service;

That may be your opinion but the fact is as of today, in the US both GM and Ford, outsell any import. That may change but for now that is the fact, whether you agree or not

mike

What do you mean by "today?" Last month and this month, Ford was outsold by Toyota. And it is expected that Toyota will outsell Ford all next year. Considering this, I would say that Toyota already outsells Ford.

It is clear that Toyota is on the way up, but Ford is on the way down. Who is closing factories in the US? And opening them? Which company is planning on making more vehicles for sale in the US next year?

If you graph the sales of Toyotas in the US and sales of Fords, over time, the graphs would show Ford sales going down and Toyotas going up. It appears that the time where they intecepted is around Nov. 2006, and Toyota will only continue going up and Ford will be below them for at least a few years, if not longer.

This may change in the future, if Ford gets it act together, but for now, like it or not, the fact is that Toyota is outselling Ford and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, whether or not you agree.

Jeff

You are confused, again. You remind me of a cousin, back in late forties. He was sure Studebaker outsold Chevy because I owed on , he owned one, and most of the cars he saw were Studebakers. His small town had one dealer, which was just down the street from where he lived, that sold Studebaker and Cadillac ;)

There are twelve month is a year. Total annual sales figures for 2006 have GM, Ford, Toyota, Chrysler in that order

Mellowed:

Would that be the Lariat Ranger, Taurus, Mustang, T-bird... oh, you only read half my post.

No I understand, you're a Ford fan and want to protect the image but Ford has to reach a point where they stop blowing sunshine and take some of the criticism as valid otherwise they will disappear like many other car makers before them.

AS of today? Or over the last year? Which is it Mike? You can't keep changing your statements, You are arguing two totally different positions.

No matter how you twist it Ford and GM's market share are declining and Toyota's is steadily rising. You changing your argument while trying to dispute that makes you look silly.

Really, when did I ever dispute the fact Toyota is gaining market share and both GM and Ford are losing in the ever growing US market? Who wins the football game, the team with the most points in a quarter or the one with the most points at the end of the game? For the 2006 model year it is GM, Ford, Toyota, Chrysler. Therefore as I stated GM and Ford, outsell any import. in the US, silly you. ;)

mike

Just because Toyota's market share is rising does not mean that people are going to change their buying preference.

My next vehicle will be either a Ford or a Chevy. It will most likely be a Ford F-250 4x4 truck.

Actually only GM, Ford, Honda and Nissan sell vehicles that are made in America with an 'American' content of over 70% that exhibit a '1' as the first number of the VIN. The others only assemble some of their vehicles in America with an 'American' content of less than 70% and display '4' and '5' in the VIN. Those with a '5,' as the first number of the VIN like the Tundra, have less than 40% 'American' content.

mike