Comments on: Sales, and Trucks, Shrink at Ford

By: Peter

Peter — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 08:32:59 +0000

There is a reason Ford is #1 in pickup truck sales.
The fuel mileage alone will sell this truck.
They finally got rid of Navistar as their diesel engine supplier, everyone knows an in house project is the best.
I like Ford because they are actually an independent automobile company, unlike GM & Fiat... Ford owns!

By: workin' man

workin' man — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 22:19:16 +0000

I think I may have some insight on this subject, because I’m the proud owner of a 97′ ranger and an 08′ escape hybrid. The mpg on the escape is better than a Toyota Camry. The ranger is an unstoppable beast; Durability, reliability, and towing capability are more than adequate for most applications. I strongly think Ford should pursue a hybrid ranger. From my understanding the problem with a hybrid ranger would be the towing capacity. The escape hybrid only has a towing capacity of 1,000 lbs. That includes passengers!

By: Tow Truck King

Tow Truck King — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:53:47 +0000

For me, the bigger the truck the better. I grew up loving big trucks, and I ended up building a business with big trucks. As far as I know, we’ll always need big trucks, until we fly around in antigravity ships.

By: Think Tank of One

Think Tank of One — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:54:30 +0000

There is still a big market for compact pickups for all the weekend warriors who would use them for camping, hunting, and hauling motorcycles, quads, wave runners, small boats and the like. Not to mention the tradesmen who need to haul supplies and delivery drivers who need superior gas mileage. The problem is that gas mileage for these vehicles has not improved much in 20 years and no one seems to be working on a serious hybrid for the compact truck market. Those who could buy a new pickup are hanging on to their old ones and buying a new hybrid or fuel efficient car instead. Now one would think Ford of all companies would put a compact hybrid truck into production. After all, they have the Escape Hybrid SUV. Instead Ford is killing the Ranger. No wonder the American Auto industry is in decline! Give us a Hybrid Ford Ranger that gets 35-40 mpg please!

By: carLover

carLover — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:15:02 +0000

I think this is because of the hybrid cars. I never heard of hybrid trucks before. And maybe Ford needs one too. And I'm sure Autopartswarehouse.com will support this. And I love Ford for making great and cool trucks.

By: uktiger

uktiger — Sat, 31 May 2008 20:26:00 +0000

In Europe, construction workers drive sub-compacts and scooters to work.

The hillbilly, four-wheel drive, balls hangin from the bumper, monster chrome wheels mentality will end.

By: noezanswer

noezanswer — Sat, 31 May 2008 16:56:29 +0000

Good point!. Unfortunately, there are two problems with this. The first is that if you need a small truck with a towing capacity even close to an F150, the only real option would be the Ranger with the 4.0 engine with the towing package. Ford also puts the 2.3 and 3.0 litres in Rangers but they are not powerful enough to tow safely. I own a Ranger (4×4) with the 4.0 engine and it gets almost the same exact mileage as an F150 two wheel drive. Also, Ford has announced that Ranger production will end in 2009. This means that the two remaining compacts (Ranger and it’s twin Mazda B series) will no longer be available. It’s interesting how compact pickups died out and only the Ranger/Mazda B series remained, only to be dropped as well. Even sales of the original Toyota Tundra were weak because the size of this truck was bigger than a compact but smaller than a full size. Toyota saw how well full size pickups were selling and redesigned the Tundra to be as big as all the other full size pickups on the road. Now with gas prices increasing almost daily, I think the car companies are going to have to go back to the drawing board in terms of producing more efficient pickups with lighter frames without losing horsepower as there will always be a market for pickup trucks.

By: Indigo

Indigo — Sat, 31 May 2008 13:11:54 +0000

I think in the next few years (when gas prices are in the $6-$8/gallon range), you really will see only contractors and haulers buying heavy pickup trucks. They are the only ones who ever really needed them in the first place. But Ford is going to have to figure out something else to sell (hint to Ford: there is a type of small four-wheeled vehicle called a "car". Toyota and Honda have been making them for years!)

For the so-called "Big Three" it has cracked me up that they whine about how their land-barges aren't selling but they never ask "How come there's always a waiting list for the Prius?"

By: Need2Change

Need2Change — Sat, 31 May 2008 02:52:45 +0000

I’m afraid that by 2011, improving truck mpg by 3-5 mpg won’t be enough. By then gasoline will be over $6/gallon.

By: schafetz

schafetz — Sat, 31 May 2008 02:28:11 +0000

I would not want anything less than an F250 for towing horse trailers, especailly up and down hills on the East Coast. An F350 dually diesel is better.