The fallacy here is that dealers get no benefit from retail incentives. And fuel fill reimbursement is a drop in the bucket. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Concessions beat the hell out of closures. I don’t think there’s going to be any blood spilled here.

Ford is in deep sh1t. Out of the Big 3, General Motors will be the last one standing. Everyone would rather see GM make it than anyone else. This is GM Country.

An American Revolution

Relly ford is in deep? then why are they they only ones to have a concession from the UAW, and are not borrowng any govt money? Gm will be gone by the end of the summer replaced by CMC

Actually I prefer Ford to GM but I don’t want either to fail.
Cut all Foreign aid and use it in the US. Why do we have to be the worlds rich uncle? We send way too much money outside the US.

Yeah Merc lets start with Iraq… talk about pissing away trillions.

Trimming the fat throughout the entire organization is the best way to stick around. The implementation of better business practices is a much better (and infinitely more sustainable) way to get out of the red. I support Ford 100% in this. If the company fails, the dealers fail. Dealers should absolutely share in the work to rebuild.

And incentives get people to by Ford over ___, so they contribute to dealer success significantly, although sort of indirectly.

LLN, I wish that you would get your facts straight about Ford! Nobody has talked about Ford filing Bankruptcy! Ford is by far the best off of the three and if you don’t believe that you can’t read! Take a look at their stocks today. F-$4.39 and growing, GM-$1.63 and falling!!! The analysts are predicting Ford to be at or near $10 a share by the end of summer and predicting GM out of biz by the same time! You wont “Need more oil for GM” they will be GONE!!!

Now F-$4.40 and GM-$1.62! LMAO

Need more oil for GM you are one stupid mother F***er…..

^Hahahahaha…

I was wondering what happened to NMOFGM. Haven’t seen you around for awhile.

From all angles, Ford is the better company. Cars, money, ability to change.

you know whats really bad about NMOFGM is that I’m sure he’s trying to help and promote the US auto industry but his ignorance and posts make them look worse. Good job, douche.

Ford borrowed their money BEFORE the bottom fell out. They hocked everything including their Ford name.

That money is now gone as of February.

“Ford is the only one of the Detroit Three that hasn’t accepted
government aid to survive the auto industry’s sales slump. It drew down
the last $10.1 billion of its $24 billion secured credit line in
February.”

Question is if it will last until cars start selling again. It should last until December.

Let’s face facts here and now kids. Domestic automobiles, the way they are built and the way they are sold is going to change…DRASTICALLY. Ford will survive, Mr. Mulally is no dummy, the days of mega dealers full of big shiney cars is over. The big dollar highbrow dealer wolrd is crashing down under the weight of big fat Freddie Mac. There will be fewer choices of better cars. GM can survive too…well maybe Cadillac and Chevrolet, but lets be real who needs 5 or 6 lines of cars. UAW? take notice, Ford Motor Company seems to be manufacturing cars everywhere but Michigan, ask yourself, why?

I don’t believe it would be considered rape if lady holding nuts gently. Lady would be dealers.

@ NMOFGM – How unintelligent are you? You say the dumbest things. Ford has taken zero government money, and is working in every area of the company to save as much money as possible. Your American Revolution GM is only going to revolutionize the industry when the bloated company crumbles further. You’re an idiot.

CARSTUFF- Get your facts straight

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co., the only U.S. automaker operating without federal bailout loans, burned through $3.7 billion in cash during the first quarter in posting its fourth straight quarterly loss.

Ford slowed the burn rate from the fourth quarter of 2008, when cash declined by $5.5 billion. Ford finished the quarter with cash reserves of $21.3 billion, up from $13.4 billion at the end of 2008. The company drew down a $10.1 billion line of credit in the first quarter.

The net loss for the quarter was $1.4 billion, compared with net income of $70 million a year earlier. The pretax operating loss, excluding special items, was $2 billion, compared with pretax income of $686 million during the year-ago period.

Ford, which analysts estimate needs $9 billion to $10 billion in cash on hand to fund operations, is trying to avoid a federal bailout as U.S. auto sales remain at 27-year lows. Detroit rivals Chrysler LLC and General Motors are surviving on $17.4 billion in U.S. loans and are on the brink of bankruptcy.

Ford operates at the moment on government loans, about 5-7 billions worth. This could explain improved burn rate: interest is lower.

BORAT- what government loans?