End of the "Ranger" in North America.Good or bad news for Ford?

[MyThIc3LiTe]

Originally Posted by Mazingo

We got the right to question people who kill off or radically change popular vehicles.Some changes are good and welcome when components are outdated and inefficient.But when they change only because it's the flavor of the week,it always ends-up bad ,mostly because already outdated compared to the competition.

What?

Ford killed the Ranger, you can disagree with that, but don't pretend that you know better than them on product development.

I mean, look at your posts. No sentence structure or proper spacing; just FYI dude.

Also, calling me stupid really doesn't help your arguments at all.

[MyThIc3LiTe]

Originally Posted by Mazingo

You're really out arguments.English is not even my first language. You made a comment that made no sense at all and replied in the same fashion anyone here would have done. I'm not the only one who question some of Ford's decisions. And I won't stop because you find some kind of logic with it. It's obvious that Ford is putting all their eggs in one basket with the F-150.This may work on the short term ,but the day gas prices will radically rise again people will let go of the full size trucks.

The day gas prices radically rise again? Huh?

Are we living in the same world? Gas prices have been higher for a long time now.

Do you honestly think people who need trucks will suddenly stop buying them just cause its 10 more dollars a tank? No. They need the truck they will get it.

You know who gets forced away by high gas prices? the casual truck buyers who buy them for no reason and never, not once, get the truck beds scratched or the truck itself beaten and battered because they don't actually use it.

Thats not a bad thing, make all the morons buy vehicles that actually fit their needs instead of buying an F150 just for the sake of having one.

And whats the point of a Ranger when a F150 doesn't cost more then 25k and gets decent mileage and more importantly can out haul and out tow a Ranger? Where is the logic in introducing a smaller truck that won't be cheaper but has worse specs? for the 'casual' truck user?

Like I said before, rent a truck and buy a car you actually need.

Funny, my comments only are confusing to you as everyone else here is doing a fine job keeping the debate going...but moving on from that...

The Ranger in North America was dead weight and Ford gutted it. You have a problem? Go take your business elsewhere cause you are free to.

Ford obviously had no problem giving up the 50k a year and decreasing sales and shifted their R/D towards the F150 which makes more sense. The truck can be had with 3 V6 based engines and 2 V8 based ones, all 5 which give pretty respectable fuel economy wrapped up in very configurable design - like all trucks out there right now. You'll notice that Dodge killed the Dakota too; Sergio Marchionne even stated that the declining popularity of small trucks in North America is why they won't replace the Dakota with anything. So it isn't just Ford who got wise.

[- Thed -]

Originally Posted by Nik00117

The flex is a great vehicle that no one understands.

So true. Ask any owner and they will tell you in a heartbeat that they love their Flex. It was designed and engineered before the economy went down the shitter and Ford had the balls to go through with it. Fortunately it made it long enough to get a refresh and right now the big guys are deciding whether or not it will see another generation.

Personally, I love it. I'd rock an EcoBoost Flex ANY day of the week and twice on Sunday.

[mjd4277]

Originally Posted by Nik00117

I work in the industry, and form a numbers stand point stopping Ranger production made sense.

Do you have any idea on how easy it is to talk up somebody from a Ranger to a F-150? With f-150 discounts they where almost the same price as a ranger! Who wants a 30k Ranger when you can get a nice F-150 for 26k or 27k?

"But we city people who want a truck" you city people who want a truck make up such a small part of the market you don't matter. In addition there are many competition in your market segment you still have other options. Now you may be thinking "Why doesn't ford compete in the market" well one thing I learned in business is not every fight is worth fighting for. And the small truck market with it's razor thin margins is not worth the cost.

Now I think a long time ago (mid 2000s) Ford decided not to do no Ranger refreshes. Basically they would reproduce the same truck until sales dropped so low it was no longer profitable. Once they hit that point they cut it off they ran it dry and cut sales.

It takes resources to make a car, it takes production line, mgrs, factory workers, office people, etc. Also if you don't refresh a car every so often sales become stale. However refreshing a vehicle is not a cheap undertaking. Everything has to be tested, new suppliers gained, new production, new training, etc.

Now in a popular car like a Mustang or an F-150 sure the cost is worth it.

Now in years of selling cars I sold very few Rangers. Sure we got our minority who is a majority on this board but you guys are a super small fraction of their business. I think our best Ranger year was long ago.

O by the way the Expedition is going go the same way the Ranger did. It's only lasted longer because it's more profitable. I suspect the Navigator will disappear as well.

1999 230,000 Expeditions where sold
2012 we are expecting 35,000 expeditions to be sold.

A drop of 85%

In 1999 Ford sold 350,000 rangers
In 2011 they did 55,000

A drop of 85% i'm sure the Expedition is next on the chopping block.

In 1999 the economy was still good and people weren't paying nearly $4 a gallon for gasoline. In 2012 fuel economy has taken more of a priority in a decision on a new vehicle purchase and the country is still trying to recover from a recession.

[- Thed -]

Lincoln IS getting a new Navigator in a few years, hopefully that wil mean that the Expy will live on as well.

[MyThIc3LiTe]

Originally Posted by - Thed -

Lincoln IS getting a new Navigator in a few years, hopefully that wil mean that the Expy will live on as well.

Lincoln needs a MKR. A Lincoln Mustang.

Something to raise interest.

[RonMaiden]

[- Thed -]

Originally Posted by MyThIc3LiTe

Lincoln needs a MKR. A Lincoln Mustang.

Something to raise interest.

Then you're in luck!!! Lincoln is working on a RWD large sedan based off of the new Mustang's platform. It is presumed that since the Taurus is moving to a stretched Fusion platform that the MKS will get the rear-drive treatment. Also, expect suicide doors.

I'm not making this up.

I love knowing Ford engineers/insiders.

[matmatician]

Originally Posted by - Thed -

Personally, I love it. I'd rock an EcoBoost Flex ANY day of the week and twice on Sunday.

I've only ever been impressed with them in person... Interiors look awesome too imho. They kinda remind me of the old woody wagons back in the day. I think the Flex would look right at home with some wood paneling and a couple surfboards on top

[MyThIc3LiTe]

Originally Posted by Mazingo

Funny,
Wish you had one with the 2013 1.6 Ecoboost Escape.

Right, because Ford is the only automaker on Earth that has issues like this?

Ferrari and Lamborghini called, they'd like to remind us what real engine caused fires are.