This may, or may not, bode well for those of you who have November or later Delivery/Purchase dates.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...-rebates_x.htm


My truck is scheduled to be at the Dealer this week. I had a Ship Date of 10/9/2003 and I still don't have it. If the truck came in this week, I don't think I could let it sit there for another week waiting on a "potential" rebate.....
What a Dilema....????

 

We've already got incentives and low financing. Which is what this article is saying is surprising. I'd be really surprised if Ford started offering general cash rebate incentives outside of the special program type of incentives they're offering now. I do expect them to continue to offer lower financing rates.

They still have considerable design costs to recoup on this competely new truck. They're doing the finacing deals to compete against GM and Dodge. Both of whom are offering cash or 0% financing.

Ford obviously knows they have an exciting new product. They can get a premium over their competitors products because of that. I'd guess they think that the financing is the breaking point at which people start thinking that the premium isn't worth it.

Right now seeing both GM and Dodge offering cash rebates right out the door on their 2004 models says to me that they're discounting their products because of the overall economy and the situation with Ford.

Then you throw in the competition from Nissan. If Ford is going to start doing cash incentives they'll probably do it around when the Titan starts shipping. If only because Ford seems to be downright scared of the Titan. According to the Nissan ads on TV they seem to be saying December for the Titan.

So my best guess for general cash incentives would be January and only if Ford starts seeing their sales slipping.

Ford could be more scared of the Titan than I think and start slipping incentives in November/December to head off the Titan. But I really think they'll try and ride out the American made and their superior specs before they go to discounting their product.

The one thing we're not really sure of yet is the pricing on the Titans. I haven't seen anything definitive yet. So if Nissan prices it lower than the Ford it might force Ford's hand.

If I were Nissan I'd match Ford's pricing first and see how we hold up. Then I'd go from there. Especially if they think they have a better product than Ford. Which they better if they expect to compete against the best selling pickup for the past 20 some odd years.

Of course this is all my own opinion/guesses. But I don't think it's clear where we're going with incentives until the Titan is selling.

 

IMO...I don't think Nissan is out to steal the crown from Ford, and I don't really think that Ford is worried about that either. But what Ford should be worried about is the Nissan chipping away enough sales of F150's to put Chevy or Dodge in the #1 spot. I think I've heard that the Chevy/GMC combo really outsells the F150 anyway....but since they are technically 2 different trucks they can't be counted together. How many units is Nissan planning on producing anyway?

 

geo036:

I believe they were going to produce 100,000 in the 1st year.

I think Ford already had 70,000 pre-orders.

I read those numbers o this Forum.

 

Very well said, breser.

Geo36, I don't think Ford is worried about the Titon overcomming their sales volume, but think about this. If Ford makes an average of $10k on every F-150 it sells (and I think it does), and the Nissan proves to be a great pickup and ends up taking away 50k units from potential F-150 buyers, that is $500k in potential profit. Then, next year if Nissan can ramp up production and take even more away from Ford, it snowballs the problem.

 

Dude try a lot more than that!

Last year they sold what like 900,000 units!!

 

The Titan hasn't gone on sale yet, how can they have sold 900,000 units last year?

 

I think he's talking about last years F150 sales

 

Agreed...thats basically what I was getting at...I think some die hard Ford fans are worried that the Titan will overcome them by taking the "crown"...(my term for number one sales and profit). But what I was basically getting at was that the Nissan will more likely "chip away" at their sales/profits and number 1 status.

Teckbargins fix your post man....I didn't say that...

 

I heard Ford now has well over 100,000 orders in at the plants for the new 04's. Most people are getting the S/Cab, S/Crew Fx4's and Lariats, so I'd be shocked if they start using discounts this soon. The other's are using the incentives to try to maintain their marketshare.

I was hoping for 04 Expedition zero financing incentives when the Armada came out, but sales are way up for Expedition so I haven't seen them yet.

The Detroit area has a 04 a-plan $1000 matching down payment offer that doesn't include the new F150 trucks or Focus it that gives any indication.

 

What's is crazy is that you can get 0% or 2500 back on Lincoln Avaitor or Navigator and not a pickup truck!!!!