Turn the clocks back to early 2008 and a 20 percent drop in new car sales would be enough to get most CEOs fired. Fast forward to today and a 20 percent sales drop is something to celebrate. Although not quite jumping up and down with excitement just yet, Ford is much closer to the latter scenario as it expects to post a June sales decline of between 10 and 20 percent.
June sales have yet to go official but Ford is expecting a decline of just 10-20 percent. Although still far from the black, Ford is encouraged by the market improvement. “The underlying economic indicators, meaning fewer jobless claims, another month of somewhat higher levels of consumer confidence, suggest to us that the worst is behind us in terms of not only the economy… but also that we may have seen the low point of auto sales,” George Pipas, Ford’s U.S. sales analyst, told Automotive News.
Ford has posted a sales decline of at least 20 percent in every month since July 2008.
Ford expects the overall U.S. new car market to be down between 25 percent and 30 percent for the month of June. That compares favorably to the near-40percent drop of the first five months of the year and would actually be the smallest market decline since September 2008, according to Automotive News.
In anticipation of a slight market recover, Ford will increase production during the third quarter.



06/29, 5:58 PM
posted by:
TL
Let’s hope their prediction is right…
06/29, 6:07 PM
posted by:
Bubs Solo
This news must be ripping Borat’s gitch.
06/29, 6:30 PM
posted by:
idrinorbarsaku
I did what I could to help them out! Go FORD!!!!
06/29, 7:27 PM
posted by:
Dante_JoseCuervo
Go ford! The only american company with brains!
06/29, 7:48 PM
posted by:
leftwingagenda
i’m pro ford, but anti over-eager declarations of economic recovery…proof is in the pudding, don’t call it until you’re sure, though…trend lines have a way of going up, then down again…
06/29, 7:58 PM
posted by:
carstuff
Guys it is the 29th. There is only one more sales day this month. Ford knows how many vehicles it has sold in the first ~27 days and I think that they can make this claim pretty convincingly.
What will really answer a lot of our questions is what GM sales do. My prediction is that GM will also have relatively good sales but not as good as Ford.
Who here said economy is not getting better? Better get back in the stock market.
06/29, 8:33 PM
posted by:
Borat
Looser stock and company. That what pundits state:
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ao?s=F
06/29, 8:40 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
The Canadian newscasts were all over Chrysler’s plant re-openings in Ontario today. It may not be that trip to Disneyland we had in the middle of the decade but at least some people have stopped hearing the bombs going off and are emerging from the basement.
06/29, 8:41 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
remember, Ford & GM bottomed out first so year over year will hopefully beat industry trend.
I’m thinking Honda/Toyota will take a hit this month and maybe next. Last year at this time Honda moved like 45k to 50k Accords, and last month it was 21k. Civics are also down about half, and those are their big movers. Toyota’s story with Camrys and Crapollas is not much better.
If I decide to help a domestic, it’ll be Ford. I can get dealer invoice less cash on the hood even on the new Taurus (any model, and hood-cash is $1500) so it is tempting, but the Fusion Sport with a similar options would be about 4k less and is probably the more fun ride.
One thing strange about the Taurus (and it might be a typo on Ford.com) – the Fusion is 101 cubic feet interior room, and the Taurus is 102 cubic feet. Not really different, but everyone says the Taurus is huge inside. I’ll probably wait till I can see on to be sure.
06/29, 8:56 PM
posted by:
Payton Byrd
@Borat
The pundits have been wrong about F stock all year. I made a nice profit on it. I should have held it longer.
06/29, 9:36 PM
posted by:
carstuff
Same yahoo site shows Ford debt still at $150 Billion at end of first quarter. So that has not changed since end of ‘08. Site no longer shows GM debt or much other financial data.
06/30, 1:11 AM
posted by:
DB9
As nice as this may sound… well…
Generally, CNBC can be counted among the market’s biggest cheerleader; however, as is often the case, there are always a few nuggets to be found… One of the best people over the years follows:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/31633528
The government has primed the pump to a degree that has not been seen… we’re charting new territory;-) There is very little room for more stimulus… what happens when the current amount works its way through the system – say about Christmas Ho Ho Ho;-)) Hmmm… wonder what we tell Virginia this year? Though the Pols will want some extra to grease the results of Nov 10;-) Interest rates; the Fed is already down to quantitative easing;-) What happens if domestic demand (2/3 of the economy) doesn’t pick up? The savings rate is up (15yr high). So far the result of massive budget deficits have mainly been reflected in the price of Oil and other commodities not Capital inflows. It’s more than just demand (anticipated) that is driving prices for Crude (priced in US$).
Want to know what happens in a market correction fuelled by a credit crisis – see Japan over the nineties and into the 00’s.
DB9;-)
PS. Just sayin’ Hey don’t shoot the messenger. Be careful…
PS. To the PS. It ain’t over yet…
06/30, 7:39 AM
posted by:
howsmydriving
None of this changes the fact that Ford cars are BORRRRRRING. Even their best offering, Mustang, is BORRRRRRRING when compared to Camaro and Challenger.
06/30, 7:40 AM
posted by:
carstuff
Toyota and Honda took big hits last month and will continue to do so for a couple more. There seems to be a sentiment growing (not here at LLN of course) of buying from the American three. Do not have any data but I think some are figuring out that we need to keep some of our profits here in the US and help our own. I know here in Michigan that their is a huge Buy Michigan campaign and it is working here.
Last month showed that GM/Ford/Chrysler did not have the drop in sales as did their main competitors. All three showed the best month this year with both Ford and Chevrolet outselling the Toyota division. GM did well even with Pontiac(-52%)/Saab(-63%)/Hummer(-40%) deadweights dropping like a stone relative to the imports.
But July is tommorow and we will see what June did.
ps GM is filing today and is expected to complete the bankruptcy process faster than Chrysler.
06/30, 8:22 AM
posted by:
Need more oil for GM
Ford will be a victim of the American Revolution by the next decade. We’ll be wearing our “30″ buttons again real soon. When GM finally gets back to 40 percent market share and there is no Ford, Toyota, Honda or Nissan, GM will be unstoppable.
GM. An American Revolution
06/30, 8:27 AM
posted by:
Need more oil for GM
“There seems to be a sentiment growing (not here at LLN of course) of buying from the American three. Do not have any data but I think some are figuring out that we need to keep some of our profits here in the US and help our own.”
You said brother. Everyone would rather drive a GM vehicle than an embarrassing import. A lot more are figuring it out than you think. And anyone who doesn’t get with the program has been given the option to get out of the Country before they get thrown out on their ases. They don’t belong here and are committed lude acts of treason. I am in Michigan myself, there is not one import around here at all. They have either been torched, driven off of a revine, or sent to an early grave. 100% of the vehicles here are Big 3.
It’s not cool to own an import. Fact.
Buy American. Buy GM. It is your patriotic duty as Americans
06/30, 8:52 AM
posted by:
GT_R BOY
NEED MORE OIL FOR GM
You do know that lots of GM crap is made in other countries?And you know that chevy,pontiac and other **** is crappy in quality and durability.GM was in bottom of the scale named “quality and durability”.GM cars design is so crappy that i can’t see difference between 1995 and 2009 ****vette.It was biggest auto maker in the world in the most powerful country and it failed.Sad and shame.Next time when you write such a dump post think about what you writting.Imports are way better, but sure guy like you need to 700$ on a car so you buy crappiest car ever built named chevy.Imports are better because they use new technologies not like chevy,has better design and waaayy better quality…
06/30, 9:26 AM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
NMOFGM, how’s your 783 day supply of Pontiac G3s doing?
06/30, 10:15 AM
posted by:
Bankruptcy2009
ROFL @ mayer_ray_nagin comment how true! is that
NMOFGM you are a Dreamer sir.
The Day GM could ever put one of those companies out of business will be the day Hell does Freeze over.
06/30, 10:16 AM
posted by:
Borat
@Payton, if you made money my congrats and don’t be greedy. There is a saying on Wall Street: pigs get slaughtered. Perhaps, run on the stock due to speculations. granted they lost less then anticipated. but there is 150 billion debt hole (FYI GM had only 100 billions). There is no clean exit from such a hole.
06/30, 10:20 AM
posted by:
Need more oil for GM
Don’t underestimate the American Revolution boys. As Carstuff noted, buying a GM vehicle is a sign of loyalty and patriotism and everyone would rather support an American Automaker. GM trucks are Americas trucks. The Chevrolet Malibu and Cobalt are Americas cars and the Corvette is Americas Sports car. Cadillac is the epitome of American Luxury and performance and Buick is the leader in Quality and dependibility over any car maker out there.
America has chosen and GM is our brand.
AN American Revolution
06/30, 10:34 AM
posted by:
BUYFORD09
Ford is finally getting their act together. It is refreshing to see a true AMERICAN company starting to produce products that can compete on the global market. They are not out of the woods yet and there is a great deal of work to be done to improve the product line.
Slowly America is choosing the one and only AMERICAN (non-Government) controlled company (Ford Motor Company) as our brand.
GM: The UN-American Revolution
06/30, 10:52 AM
posted by:
Need more oil for GM
Ford has a long way to go to catch General Motors. They need to get their quality and reliability under control which is still sorely lacking next to GM. Numerous problems with Sparkplug ejecting V8’s poor quality Mustangs, lanquishing models like the Focus and Escape, bad CVT transmissions, underpowered and outdated engines and general lack of reliability across the board according to JDpowers and CR.
General Motors is a world class leader in quality, reliability, dependibility. They are the world leader in engine design, performance, styling and interior quality. Nobody, even Ford is even close to Gm in any of these depts. which is why everyone chooses General Motors as Americas brand.
GM. An American Revolution
06/30, 11:11 AM
posted by:
BUYFORD09
I have no argument against your underpowered claim which as a Ford fan has irritated me for a long time. Ford consistently lags behind GM when it comes to winning the horsepower race in competing vehicle segments. Your claim that Ford’s quality and reliability are sorely lacking next to GM of all companies is just plane false, and there is documentation as proof. Besides if GM was the “world class leader” in quality, reliability and dependability please explain why they just went bankrupt?
To really be fair about this neither Ford nor GM is the world leader in anything to do with automobiles. Germans rule the mechanical (engine, drive train, styling) and the Japanese rule in electronics. Recognizing there is a problem is the first step to fixing it. As I said though Ford is finally getting there one step at a time.
GM: An UN-American Revolution
06/30, 11:17 AM
posted by:
ricky_b
I think Ford is the one that is going to come out of this stronger than the other two, mostly because I think their management team is really trying now to understand what the public really wants to buy. They have a ways to go, but I think they’re on track. Chrysler may get better direction aligned with Fiat… we’ll have to see.
GM is the one in the biggest trouble. They have some good product out there but the restructing and elimination of brands is going to take more time than they realized (or hope) and will be a real distraction for the management. As for NNOFGMs predictions of GM climbing back up to 30% domestic marker share… I won’t say it can’t happen, but their product line isn’t strong enough to take back that much lost share. They posted about 21% share last month, BUT that included Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Hummer which combined are 2.5-3.0% market share. Do the math. Without these brands, GM would have only been 18-18.5% market. 25% share – Difficult, 30% – Unlikely, 40% – Don’t count on it.
06/30, 12:34 PM
posted by:
zoomzoomer
howsmydriving.. BORRRRING seems to work when it comes to sales.. look at Toyota! Ford is being relatively cautious in a downturned market.. makes sense to me for such an established entity. The problem is that they were too cautious during the boom times when they could have taken more risks.. not updating their core product often enough, and now they have to play catch-up.
06/30, 12:49 PM
posted by:
SoCalFiveO
(LOOKS LIKE I HAVE TO REPEAT MYSELF AGAIN)you see more fords on the road than anything else and ford still has the best selling truck the 09 f-150 and ford has the most fuel efficiant mid-size sedan in the world with 41mpg city and maintaining over 30+mpg on the freeway and the motor doesnt engage until 47mph.you have to remember GM is so messed up right now there not even profiting on there vehicles anymore. they may have amazing sales but there still losing money remember they filed bankrupty so they will do whatever it takes to sell a POS even if it means to give it away. Ford didnt even consider taking bailout money. i work for the Gosch Brothers and have a meeting with them every month and and they are saying ford right now aint losing money or making money right now were at a stand still but at least were not losing anything, Ford will be the last company to go under.Ford is also getting rid of that pesky powerstroke we have always been having problems with and now that 6.7 scorpion deisel making 700+ lb ft of torque. then were also putting a new v6 and v8 in our mustangs. the 3.7L v6 and 5.0L v8. ford has alot coming to them. even if there not above GM right now Ford will be over the top here pretty soon. GM has been doin alot of talking and thats about it
06/30, 1:13 PM
posted by:
SoCalFiveO
honda aint doing to well either in the hybrid section…they just scrapped there accord hybrid because ford and toyota blew them out of the water. so its back to the drawing boards for honda.
06/30, 1:47 PM
posted by:
Need more oil for GM
Time to get with the program. General Motors is Americas vehicle. No matter what Ford wants you people to believe, or the people like SoCalFiveO who are paid to say the things he says, GM will eventually destroy Ford with better product, better reliability, better quality and more respected history. Ford has been a failure since the 50’s. Sure, they’ve had hope with a model or two like the Mustang or their trucks, but then people who buy them inherit the same numerous problems that plague the rest of the Ford lineup and they find out that they’re just typical Ford products.
GM has a reknowned history of building the best products on the market. They have the respect of every American who appreciates quality, durability and reliability. GM is Americas automotive icon. Ford is and always will be an also-ran.
Buy American. Buy GM.
06/30, 1:54 PM
posted by:
Bankruptcy2009
Need more oil for GM
You must think that all readers don’t read the news or something so you can get away with outright lies!
Ford is on Tops in Quality right there with Toyota. And most other LLN patrons here see things the way they truly are my friend, and You meanwhile need a strong dose of Reality. BUYFORD09 is an unbiased as they get. He says it like it is. If you go to the Autoshows for a Comparison and sit in each of these cars. that is enough. You can with out a shredd of doubt rule that the Japanese are Kings in Electronics- Automotive E or otherwise and the Germans are the Masters of the Mechnical World these are well know FACTS. Even SoCalFiveO who I battle with over Nissan’s GT-R see the way things are when it comes to Ford Motors Resurgence ok.
I would also agree with BUYFORD09 that Ford needs to keep this going there is no slow down ever. Technology is fleeting. even if you manage to hit a customers hot button with some much better products there is oceans of improvement that can be made. And Electronics is an area, Robotics, Mechanical, and Nanoscale applications using Nano Tech is yet another area to invest and develop products for ones automotive solutions.
06/30, 2:07 PM
posted by:
Bankruptcy2009
Also with the New Taurus this should help Ford. Kudos to Ford a truly american brand. But Ford you still have oceans of proving yourself that that lie just beyond just improving your entire line up by 2012. Keep up the good work, don’t procrastinate, and above all don’t go to sleep as you did in the later part of the 1990’s.
06/30, 2:27 PM
posted by:
slider5634
“You said brother. Everyone would rather drive a GM vehicle than an embarrassing import. A lot more are figuring it out than you think. And anyone who doesn’t get with the program has been given the option to get out of the Country before they get thrown out on their ases. They don’t belong here and are committed lude acts of treason. I am in Michigan myself, there is not one import around here at all. They have either been torched, driven off of a revine, or sent to an early grave. 100% of the vehicles here are Big 3.
It’s not cool to own an import. Fact.
Buy American. Buy GM. It is your patriotic duty as Americans”
While I appreciate being patriotic as much as the next guy, I think you sir need a wake up call. The information age has brought a HUGE change in the way business is done. Large corporations, while still centrally located in one country or another, now run on a global market and GM is no exception. Things are outsourced — not just to different counties, but also different companies — deals are made, products are exchanged. Ever heard of the Toyota Matrix? How about the Pontiac Vibe? Oh, wait… They’re the same car!!! And what happens economically in one country can have a huge bearing on what happens economically on the other side of the globe — case and point, the GLOBAL recession.
The point here being, we don’t just live in the US anymore; we live on the planet Earth along with everyone else and things are going to continue in that direction. So, please do me and eveyone else a favor and wake up. This “America over Everyone Else” world that you’re living in is a dream, and the real world is passing you by.
06/30, 4:07 PM
posted by:
SoTXFord
I try not to get wrapped up in NMOFGM’s nonsense, but if we are going to talk about a history of breakdowns and failures just look at GM in the 90s. Build quality was terrible and they had the worst electrical systems out there. Our 92 Grand Prix went through 8 alternators from buying new in 92 til we sold it in 2000. If you do the math, thats pretty much one a year. Our 98 Camaro was plauged with issues of blowing fuses from doing things as simple as opening the door or turning on the lights in the short 6 or 7 months we owned it. It also was the only car I’ve ever owned that rattled from day one. As a Ford fan, I wont claim that Ford was any better durring the 90s as my 94 SHO Taurus blew its motor due to a faulty thermostat at 90K, and it blew it’s torque converter at 87K (this was more due to the fact the tranny was designed for a Windstar not a 220HP Yamaha motor) but atleast those were relatively high mileages; what was the excuse for the GM products?
06/30, 5:38 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
SoTXFord, you near the Austin area?
06/30, 6:48 PM
posted by:
ihustle
“NEED MORE OIL FOR GM”
Americas brand? Thats actually true, America does own GM. How much money did we dump into the failing manufactuer? Ford was the only american brand to stand up and say “We dont need your money, we’ll be just fine” Last i heard Ford was rated #1 in quality for 2009. Best selling Cuv with the Edge. The only sports car to be continously made since its debut in 1964. The Ford F150 is the best selling VEHICLE in the world, so how are chevy trucks, americas trucks? The problem with GM is they owned 13 brands and everyone of them were losing money. If you ask me GM is a failing brand. Have you seen the Camaros new interior? The only brand worth wild in GM’s whole line up is cadilac. I sell fords.. American car companys are similar to football teams, everyone has there favorite. You know the die hard car guys. I have had a massive influx in traffic since GM and CHRYSLER have went belly up. Im getting people who have bought GM since they were kids. To make a long story short GM has lost Americas Confidence. People dont know where there going to service there vehicles, and have lost hope in the dealers. No one wants to drive 30 miles to get a tire rotation. You need to open your eyes and reflect. GM is an example on how not to run a company.Your right America has spoken, check the #’s hahahaha
06/30, 8:40 PM
posted by:
SoCalFiveO
why did obama waste american money on a company that doesnt make money…they would have been better off buying like a mcdonalds, or a in n out lol…
06/30, 8:48 PM
posted by:
SoCalFiveO
and for once bankruptcy i agree with you
06/30, 10:23 PM
posted by:
jdasch1
One thing about GM to remember- Its being ran by the SAME idiots that got them to bankruptcy court and now the board is packed with government handlers and political risk. Ford doesn’t need government approval to design the next cool car/truck…GM does. 60+percent US government owned….18% Canadian government owned….17% UAW owned……GM is a joke of a company in this state. They need new owners quickly….any takers???
07/01, 12:35 AM
posted by:
SoCalFiveO
if GM is so called the best. then why did they go bankrupt and not ford… thats all there is to it
07/01, 3:31 PM
posted by:
SoTXFord
mayer ray nagin: San Antonio