Ford's June sales off nearly 28 percent

They need to get a clue that their business model is seriously flawed. Gone are the days when they can build mass amounts of autos and flood dealerships with pre-selected options and colors that customers may not actually want. They need to get rid of the dealerships altogether and allow customers to order their own cars in the colors and options that they want and build to order. It doesn't take them more than 1 week to build a car and they can deliver it anywhere in the country in 3-4 days or give the customer the option of picking it up right from the factory. Every car dealer has an option to "Build Your Own". At the end it lets you find a car that matches the one ... you can't actually order it. What a joke?

Agrees with Wyoming!! Just having purchased a new Nissan I spent time looking at several domestic models an most of what I was looking for wasn't on the lot. A few dealers told me that their inventories are based on what they think would sell or what surveys they have got response to. My first Nissan dealer had exactly what I was looking for.

ERROR;

you meant 82%

millions in profit does not wipe out billions in bankruptcy

DIE FORD DIE

Does anyone remember when Detroit really meant something to America? I think it was FDR who called Detroit "the arsenal of democracy" during WWII. When asked, we stepped up and built tanks, planes, boats and bombs. We turned car factories into military machinary fractories. Detroit has now been swept under the rug and long forgotten by Americans and our government.

Chevy used to be the "heartbeat of America." Detroit used to be the pulse of the United States because the big three were strong and steady. Now that heartbeat has grown fainter. What happened?

GM went from 60% of the market to 25%. Ford was outpaced by Toyota on it's home turf. Chysler merged with a German company during its best sales year.

The big three tried to meet with President Bush to talk about saving Detroit and American manufacturing jobs. Bush put them off and continued to cancel countless meetings. Bush had time for the winner of American Idol, but not corporate America. I guess we know where his priorities are.

We need help in three crucial areas: the trade inbalance - especially Japan's manipulation of the yen and its closed markets; the health care market, for which the car companies bear an unfair burden; and the need to develop alternate fuels such as ethanol.

I for one, will still buy American as long as I know that the majority of the money I spend is staying in the US. Toyota and Honda may do some assembly in the US, but we all know that the money is being sent home to Japan. It's not staying in the American economy. Not like American auto dollars anyway.

When America needed the big three to be its arsenal of democracy, Detroit came through. Now, when Detroit asks the government to be its partner in revival, the government turns its back.

JeremySaysTheTruth wrote:

Does anyone remember when Detroit really meant something to America? I think it was FDR who called Detroit "the arsenal of democracy" during WWII. When asked, we stepped up and built tanks, planes, boats and bombs. We turned car factories into military machinary fractories. Detroit has now been swept under the rug and long forgotten by Americans and our government.
Chevy used to be the "heartbeat of America." Detroit used to be the pulse of the United States because the big three were strong and steady. Now that heartbeat has grown fainter. What happened?
GM went from 60% of the market to 25%. Ford was outpaced by Toyota on it's home turf. Chysler merged with a German company during its best sales year.
The big three tried to meet with President Bush to talk about saving Detroit and American manufacturing jobs. Bush put them off and continued to cancel countless meetings. Bush had time for the winner of American Idol, but not corporate America. I guess we know where his priorities are.
We need help in three crucial areas: the trade inbalance - especially Japan's manipulation of the yen and its closed markets; the health care market, for which the car companies bear an unfair burden; and the need to develop alternate fuels such as ethanol.
I for one, will still buy American as long as I know that the majority of the money I spend is staying in the US. Toyota and Honda may do some assembly in the US, but we all know that the money is being sent home to Japan. It's not staying in the American economy. Not like American auto dollars anyway.
When America needed the big three to be its arsenal of democracy, Detroit came through. Now, when Detroit asks the government to be its partner in revival, the government turns its back.

F--k the heartbeat of america! Im tired of the same old shit! I will continue to buy honda & toyota! It seems they are the only ones that know how to run a company anyway!.

Whatever happened to patriotism, and buying American? I wonder how many of the unemployed are crying, and if you look in their garage- you'll find a nissan, honda or hyundai. Help keep everyone employed from tool and die, assembly etc. by buying American and keeping the profits in the USA.

Yay GM!!

Wyoming...Yes, you can order what you want from GM. Just call me, I'll set you up! And order it and get it from the factory in a week?! Get real...that is just not realistic. Can you imagine everybody picking their car up from the factory? Again, not realistic.

Ann...is it any wonder that you found just what you wanted at the Nissan dealer? Nobody is buying Nissan...well, except you! Domestic cars are selling like crazy!

Patriot wrote:

Whatever happened to patriotism, and buying American? I wonder how many of the unemployed are crying, and if you look in their garage- you'll find a nissan, honda or hyundai. Help keep everyone employed from tool and die, assembly etc. by buying American and keeping the profits in the USA.

A Ford Fusion, Made AND assembled in Mexico is considered a Patriotic vehicle?

I thought this was the year that Ford was going to be "Returning to profitability"?

Hurley35 wrote:

I thought this was the year that Ford was going to be "Returning to profitability"?

None of the US auto makers will flip a profit anytime soon unless the government steps up and creates fair trade. In addition, there needs to be unity between the UAW and the work force. There needs to be a realistic plan in place. Americans are just going to have to face the concessions that are going to take place to survive.

Nothing is going to happen overnight. It's going to take 7+ years before the big three are strong again. It's going to take concessions, creative marketing, advanced technology and a lot of help from the goverment. However, I fear that unless Chrysler unloads to a new buyer, or brings Lee Iacocca back, their doomed.

Another idea may be to cut many of the product lines. Why do we need the same car from three different divisions? Chevrolet Trail Blazer, GMC Envoy and Pontiac Torrent are basically the same thing. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Like I said, HOW can you be profitable, when you are NOT making money?!

They are BIIIIIIIILLLLLIIIIOOOONNNS in DEBT. They have nothing to barter with and no one to bail them out anymore.

When this company writes a check, the bank bounces.

Your car has a knob on the steering wheel if you still want to buy 'merican.

Sad part of this story is that 1 trip to any of the "Big 3" dealerships is very disappointing. There is nary a vehicle from Chrysler that I would want in my garage, regardless of price. I like a few of the Ford offerings, but find the mileage disappointing. GM, w the exception of Saturn, also leaves me cold. Only non Saturn I would consider would be the Swedish built Saab, & on my salary I wouldn't have a snowball's chance in a hot place of affording one. They placed all their bets on cheap oil & lost big! Real big. They are down, but not out. They'll be back, but not as dominating as in years past. Way too many other good cars from other places around the globe.

JeremySaysTheTruth wrote:

<quoted text>
It's going to take concessions, creative marketing, advanced technology

There's not going to be any technology, because the GERMANS have invented most of the innovations the past few decades, and the other automakers have just had to copy them and pay royalties to use THEIR technology. And they STILL haven't installed all the latest gadgets that they should have.

H.ell they're giving people a hard time about it and saying it'll cost them, or you, hundreds of $$ more to install such simple things as adjustable head restraints to protect from whiplash. Quit whining and just install the goddam things. Like ESP aka "stabilitrack" or whatever they want to label it, invented by Mercedes and is being forced by congress to be installed on all new vehicles.

I for one will never own a US car, and LOVE my Audi, for everything it has 10 years ago, that the idiots in the US are just now BARELY starting to furnish their vehicles with.

8 airbags,

auto leveling xenon headlights with washers,

front/rear heated seats,

dual zone climate with sun sensor(japs seem to think that's new)

all wheel drive,

parking sensors,

navigation system,

tinting interior AND exterior mirrors,

6 spd manual(try finding that in any US car),

trunk big enough to fit a VW and all the circus midgets inside of the VW,

sensors which alert to service issues such as burnt out lights/brake pads/headlight alignment/etc.. displayed on the gauge cluster display

And there's one thing I can agree on is that NEITHER the Germans NOR the americans have a clue about marketing. VW with their fake german accent commercials, and failing to promote diesel technology and bring more models here, and the US with everything else like touting "new" features that are old news to German car owners.

At least Honda & Toyota are paying AMERICAN workers to assemble their cars. Ford, GM, & Chrysler are paying Canadians and Mexicans. The other good thing about Honda and Toyota is that they avoid the awful and useless auto union, which is the number 1 reason that US automakers are in the poor shape that they're in.

JeremySaysTheTruth wrote:

<quoted text>
None of the US auto makers will flip a profit anytime soon unless the government steps up and creates fair trade. In addition, there needs to be unity between the UAW and the work force. There needs to be a realistic plan in place. Americans are just going to have to face the concessions that are going to take place to survive.
Nothing is going to happen overnight. It's going to take 7+ years before the big three are strong again. It's going to take concessions, creative marketing, advanced technology and a lot of help from the goverment. However, I fear that unless Chrysler unloads to a new buyer, or brings Lee Iacocca back, their doomed.
Another idea may be to cut many of the product lines. Why do we need the same car from three different divisions? Chevrolet Trail Blazer, GMC Envoy and Pontiac Torrent are basically the same thing. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Well John McBush is in South American the next couple days to push his free-trade agreements down there so that should open up some new markets for our auto industry right? LMAO. Free Trade with these third world countries only benefits the wealthy and the countries we trade with. All they do to the average American is reduce our standard of living.

Japanese trade deficit. The Detroit automakers make crap for cars, that is why the Japanese don’t buy them. The Detroit big three only cares about selling trucks and the Japanese consumer doesn’t want a truck. If they would build a decent car maybe they could turn their trade deficit around.

JeremySaysTheTruth wrote:

<quoted text>
None of the US auto makers will flip a profit anytime soon unless the government steps up and creates fair trade. In addition, there needs to be unity between the UAW and the work force. There needs to be a realistic plan in place. Americans are just going to have to face the concessions that are going to take place to survive.
Nothing is going to happen overnight. It's going to take 7+ years before the big three are strong again. It's going to take concessions, creative marketing, advanced technology and a lot of help from the goverment. However, I fear that unless Chrysler unloads to a new buyer, or brings Lee Iacocca back, their doomed.
Another idea may be to cut many of the product lines. Why do we need the same car from three different divisions? Chevrolet Trail Blazer, GMC Envoy and Pontiac Torrent are basically the same thing. It just doesn't make sense to me.

"Why do we need the same car from three different divisions?"
That is HUGE! Plus what's with this that the U.S manufacturers need so many divisions. Ya I know it came from one company buying up another...American companies FAVORITE past time. I also remember when the difference in model years was grill change, and or tail light change for two maybe three years. Now they re-tool and make an entire new design every year. No that's not expensive.

Look the main reason the American car companies are in so much trouble is they are spoiled children waiting to grow up to be mature businesses. There is no integrity in management any more. It's all about the billions in the bank and any way it takes to get it there. It's overpaid under intelligent management. It ALL goes back to management. Management has been left off the accountability hook for so long by so many people in this country, including being breast fed by government, they're just simply sloppy. They act like a bunch of trust fund kids.

Patriot wrote:

Whatever happened to patriotism, and buying American?

So, Honda vehciles built in Ohio, and Alabama, are not considered American Vehicles? Or the huge Toyota plant in Texas, those are not American either? I could go on and on, but the fact remains, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Hyundia, all have manufacturing plants in the US. Those plants are providings jobs for US employees. A Honda Accord is more american, than a Chevy Grand Prix, or a Buick LaCrosse.

Retriever wrote:

<quoted text>
So, Honda vehciles built in Ohio, and Alabama, are not considered American Vehicles? Or the huge Toyota plant in Texas, those are not American either? I could go on and on, but the fact remains, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Hyundia, all have manufacturing plants in the US. Those plants are providings jobs for US employees. A Honda Accord is more american, than a Chevy Grand Prix, or a Buick LaCrosse.

Sad but true. It would one thing too if even the profits stayed here with the old big three but with the dollar in the toilet even they are mostly owned by over-seas interests... Not that their stock is worth anything anymore anyway...

Get a clue, the US doesn't know how to make cars.

http://jalopnik.com/397767/merrill-lynch-gm-b...

and

http://jalopnik.com/397650/car-industry-carna...

Even MERCEDES has better profits, and they're not worth it.