'There's a sweeping perception that the full-size-pickup market is withering, but Ford reports that's not the case. In fact, F-150 sales are on the rise.'

*Looking at series mix, the high-end Lariat is running more than 40 percent of the mix. Generally the Lariat would be about 25 percent of the mix.*

The Platinum is selling way more than predicted, too.

link: http://www.istockanalyst.com/article...icleid/3036924

 

hmm, interesting. Good for Ford

 

I want to note that this will never be on the main stream news. Nothing positive about the economy will be.

But that is pretty good for Ford. Hopefully that will keep some people in Detroit with some Jobs!

 

Come on guys, read through the marketing spin by Ford's truck marketing manager. The truth is that F150 sales were down 39% comparing Jan 08 to Jan 09. The guys at Ford marketing are clinging to the only positive news they have, and that is that they had a 6% gain in market share compared to their competitors. Which models they are PRODUCING in the "mix" has nothing to do with what is actually selling. Fianlly, the story writer, Tim Spell always writes positive things. Awhile back he did an article about GM and how their warranty was keeping them "flying high". The guy's a putz. All that being said, clearly the F150 is superior to it's competitors and WHEN the buyers come back, sales should be good.

 

Interesting that a west-coast paper reported this.

 

Just for kicks, here's the opposite "mix" spin their cheif BS-er (marketing manager) was saying a few months ago:

'Ford marketing chief Jim Farley recently told journalists that the company expects the full-size truck segment will sell 1.5 million units in 2008, about 9 percent of all vehicles sold. That’s dramatically lower than full-size truck sales in 2004 and 2005, when big pickups annually sold 2.5 million units, or 15 percent of all vehicles.

But the steep drop in full-size sales volume isn't the only change getting attention in Dearborn. Ford has also noticed significant changes in the mix of F-Series (F-150 to F-450) cab models and engines as personal use buyers leave the segment.

"[On a percentage basis the past 12 months] sales of regular cab pickups are climbing back up as crew cabs are falling," says Mike Crowley, Ford's truck and SUV group marketing manager. "Historically, regular cabs have been about 12 percent of our business. Today, regular cab sales are 20 percent, while crew cabs have fallen from 65 percent to the mid-fifties. Extended cab sales remain about the same, around 25 percent."

Mr. Crowley says the reason for the increase in regular cab penetration is because core truck buyers (fleets, farmers, contractors) continue to buy pickups to replace old trucks while personal use buyers, the biggest buyers of four-door pickups, leave the segment entirely or hold off on buying new trucks. And commercial buyers who might have purchased an extended or crew cab are being forced to purchase a regular cab pickup after considering the cost of $4 a gallon gasoline and $5 a gallon diesel.

That’s potentially bad news for Ford’s profit margins on pickups. Crew cabs, especially fully outfitted versions like Lariat and King Ranch models, bring in up to tens of thousands of dollars more than lower trimmed regular cab versions. A 2008 Ford F-150 Super Crew Lariat with four-wheel-drive, for instance, has a $36,000 base price, excluding destination - $18,100 more than the cheapest regular cab F-150.

"People buy as much truck as they can afford," says Mr. Crowley.

As Ford launches the 2009 F-150, marketing emphasis will be placed on the middle-of-the-road XLT model, which makes up about 40% of all F-150 sales volume. Mr. Crowley calls the XLT the heart of the market. It’s the model that’s held up best with core truck buyers.'

 

Everybody knows overall sales are down, but if their market share keeps going up (up 10% in pickup trucks) that is really good news. If the F-150 was the best selling vehicle in 2008 when everyone thought it was going to be a smaller car that is good news. They even had to boost production of the 09 because it was selling so well. Let people enjoy something positive for once.


Yeah, in January of 2009 the F-150 was the best selling truck and best selling vehicle. I haven't heard a peep from Brian Williams and NBC News. But last June the mainstream media was all over it like dents on a Tundra, when the Honda was the best selling.

 

I must say if there is any up swing in truck sales it won't last long where I am gas is jumping anywhere from 2-10 cents a day we are at $2.29 for reg. UL now for what reason I can not tell u

 

I see something on the news about this and it's because the fuel company's are putting a bottle neck on supply from the refineries. I didn't see what the outcome was but they was not meant to be doing that as far as i am aware. They are doing all they can to keep the prices up. They shouldnt be allowed to do that.

 

Sales are way up???
Then why do we have 10 weeks of downtime coming to DTP between March 23 and the end of June????
Yep, bring back the third crew (no new hires, transfers from other plants) and then rotate down weeks because we don't really need a third crew....Smart, real smart.

 

Truck sales and SUV sales in my area have gone bonkers now, too. We bought a slightly used 2008 Eddie Bauer Expedition EL just before Christmas. I waited two weeks too long so I paid about $1,000 more than the two weeks before, but it was exactly what we wanted... 2008, stickered in the upper 40's, and we got it for about $24k with about 8k on the clock. We should have paid $23k. The dealer said he'd buy it back for $3,000 to $4,000 more than we paid for it last week because e couldn't get his hands on any. Ford stopped production on the Expy's for about two months, and the used market flood locally dried up. He said people are standing in line, but he has nothing to sell or get.

The same with used trucks, so that has me thinking. My truck KBB'd at $24,000 this week. I filled my shorts at that number. My dealer said it would turn $31,500 on trade if I wanted to dump it as I am thinking about a Superduty again. I didn't pay much more for it last spring... maybe $5,000 more, but at eight months, I've only got 30,000 on the clock. Still, my dealer said the books haven't caught up with the real market values yet, so I am thinking. He needs trucks. Mine is an immaculate King Ranch. A new one stickers at close to $46k. Rebates on 2009 F-150's stink. A 2008 Superduty has between $8,000 and $9,000 rebates, plus I can buy below invoice. Hmmmm. How would I approach the boss on this one?

 

The reason gas is going up is that the refiners are switching to making more diesel since there is more profit in that over gas. Have you noticed that diesel prices have remained about the same.

I got a question for DearbornDerek. My blue FX4 Supercrew rolled down the line at DTP on December 18-19. Did not know if you helped assembled it. Thanks DTP for a great truck.

 

Actually, I have seen quite a few positives about the economy covered in the media. However, when I look into them I mostly find empty air. It's pretty cynical to think there are a lot of economic positives out there but the media is ignoring them. Believe me, when they find a positive economic story, they report it if it's real (and sometimes even if it isn't). Most of the real economic positives I've seen reported in the last 4 or 5 months have been isolated instances of a small company in a booming niche. Business is booming for repo men (but I do not count that as a positive economic story).

The Ford story is not really positive from an economic sense in that the "improvement" is more a story about how terrible Ford's competitors are doing. Would you prefer that the media report it anyway and act like things aren't so bad? Maybe they could even say it in such a way that made you think Ford sales were actually up (when measured to the year ago period)?

Bad media!

 

09 150 sales are doing great in my city. Population of around 130,000 or so probably. It seems I see a different new one on the road every week. Majority of them are Screws too.

 

I believe you missed his point...we all know the media is "sensationalist" and they go with the current trend for ratings (dollars)...for instance my industry is doing very well and I'm not a "repo man" There have been positive signs (relative to where the economy is these days) and Ford gaining maket share in the current economy is GOOD news for Ford!! In my area housing has tightened up and people are starting to buy/sell homes again (sure not at the pace of 5 years ago - but it IS a POSITIVE sign compared to the last two years and the media is ignoring it...gas prices are down (another good thing for us - especially truck owners)...it's all in the eye of the beholder - but we should keep these things in perspective -we've been through economic downturns before and will go through them again - the media running around crying "the sky is falling" is not helping anyone