Ford discontinuing Fusion, Taurus, Focus, Fiesta
Apr 26, 2018, 2:46 am
#1
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Ford discontinuing Fusion, Taurus, Focus, Fiesta
Apr 26, 2018, 6:40 am
#2
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I started the same type of discussion in another thread. I asked what will happen to rental rates and availability for small and medium size cars, as domestic automakers remove such vehicles from their home market.
Unless, your discussion intent was to focus (pun intended) on this decision specifically. In other words, does Ford erroneously assume that car buyers will prioritize staying with Ford and move up to a truck, vs go to a foreign competitor that offers a car that more closely meets the customer's need for something smaller?
Unless, your discussion intent was to focus (pun intended) on this decision specifically. In other words, does Ford erroneously assume that car buyers will prioritize staying with Ford and move up to a truck, vs go to a foreign competitor that offers a car that more closely meets the customer's need for something smaller?
Apr 26, 2018, 6:52 am
#3
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The Taurus will be the first to be phased out of production starting in May 2019 ... that doesn't mean it will disappear from rental company inventories ... Ford, doubtless, will have plenty of vehicles to shift and will offer generous incentives to rental fleets.
Maybe in 15-18 months, will some of these models become slightly less ubiquitous.
Apr 26, 2018, 10:09 am
#4
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The Japanese and Korean manufacturers are more than happy to supply small and medium sized sedans to the rental companies. We expect no effect on the rental companies short term and little to no impact longer term.
Last edited by AutoSlash; Apr 26, 2018 at 9:32 pm
Apr 26, 2018, 6:22 pm
#5
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I presume there's no such restrictions anyone imposes on only renting cards made by USA-based car companies?
Apr 26, 2018, 6:28 pm
#6
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Question: I've heard that some people flying commercial airlines as part of their jobs with the US military and/or certain military contractors are (or at least were in the past) required to use only USA-based airlines where possible.
I presume there's no such restrictions anyone imposes on only renting cards made by USA-based car companies?
I presume there's no such restrictions anyone imposes on only renting cards made by USA-based car companies?
Since the lines are so blurred now and GM imports a Buick from China and Nissans are made down the street, it seems like its hard to determine what is an import and what is domestic. But I do remember our contract with Avis specifically indicated it was to be a GM, and our contract with Hertz specified Ford products.
Apr 26, 2018, 6:42 pm
#7
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There were times in the past when one would want to avoid having an imported car in an auto producing state.
Apr 27, 2018, 5:00 am
#8
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There will be no immediate impact on rental fleets.
The Taurus will be the first to be phased out of production starting in May 2019 ... that doesn't mean it will disappear from rental company inventories ... Ford, doubtless, will have plenty of vehicles to shift and will offer generous incentives to rental fleets.
Maybe in 15-18 months, will some of these models become slightly less ubiquitous.
The Taurus will be the first to be phased out of production starting in May 2019 ... that doesn't mean it will disappear from rental company inventories ... Ford, doubtless, will have plenty of vehicles to shift and will offer generous incentives to rental fleets.
Maybe in 15-18 months, will some of these models become slightly less ubiquitous.
https://jalopnik.com/ford-focus-prod...e-w-1825583291
Apr 27, 2018, 9:37 am
#9
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Question: I've heard that some people flying commercial airlines as part of their jobs with the US military and/or certain military contractors are (or at least were in the past) required to use only USA-based airlines where possible.
I presume there's no such restrictions anyone imposes on only renting cards made by USA-based car companies?
I presume there's no such restrictions anyone imposes on only renting cards made by USA-based car companies?
Apr 28, 2018, 12:59 pm
#10
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Many years ago (before there was #1 Gold, so everyone had to go to the counter), I was in line with my father at the Hertz counter at PHX or TUS. The gentleman in front of us was handed the keys to a Chevy, to which he responded that he couldn't take this, since he was going to the Ford proving ground. The rep went back for a moment, and handed him the keys to a Dodge. He then repeated "I'm going to the FORD proving ground." You could see the light bulb go on over the rep's head, and a Ford was found.
Question: I've heard that some people flying commercial airlines as part of their jobs with the US military and/or certain military contractors are (or at least were in the past) required to use only USA-based airlines where possible.
I presume there's no such restrictions anyone imposes on only renting cards made by USA-based car companies?
I presume there's no such restrictions anyone imposes on only renting cards made by USA-based car companies?
Apr 29, 2018, 1:30 am
#11
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And the Dodge Grand Caravan is still kicking even though they announced they were killing it off a few years ago.
May 10, 2018, 2:29 pm
#12
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Ford could even continue making some of them for rental fleets. Chevy kept making the dreadful last-gen Impala into 2016, three years after the new one was introduced, for rental and other corporate fleets. I still see the old Impala popping up, in fact it was on the Five Star aisle at Hertz UC about a month ago...
It's too bad though, I thought Ford made pretty nice sedans and there is clearly a market for them. But clearly the profitability of those sales just isn't worth it. I have a Ford SUV and whenever I go to the dealer for service it's clear that they're all about the trucks and SUVs. Cars are pretty much an afterthought. I can imagine what it must be like in the US where the passion for trucks and SUVs runs deep.
May 10, 2018, 3:07 pm
#13
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Part of it could be that historically Japanese automakers made higher quality and more fuel efficient cars. That may have been a long time ago, or even a very long time ago, but nevertheless at least the perception probably stuck. So maybe Ford and GM realized either 1) they really don't make such great small cars, and realistically will never be better than Honda and Toyota, or 2) the small-car-buying public will never shop them first anyway, gravitating straight to the Corolla, Fit, and Civic. In either case, why keep investing in small American-branded cars the public largely won't buy, and instead re-focus that money on places where historically they do excel- SUVs and pickups?
May 12, 2018, 12:15 am
#14
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Part of it could be that historically Japanese automakers made higher quality and more fuel efficient cars. That may have been a long time ago, or even a very long time ago, but nevertheless at least the perception probably stuck. So maybe Ford and GM realized either 1) they really don't make such great small cars, and realistically will never be better than Honda and Toyota, or 2) the small-car-buying public will never shop them first anyway, gravitating straight to the Corolla, Fit, and Civic. In either case, why keep investing in small American-branded cars the public largely won't buy, and instead re-focus that money on places where historically they do excel- SUVs and pickups?