Sales of New Ford Pick-ups

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imp

Senior Member
This chart staggered my mind!

f150_2015vs2014_large.png


Say, about 50,000 trucks sold per month, that amounts to a new truck completed and driven off the assembly line every single minute of every single day of the month! How is this possible? :dunno: imp
 

I guess people like them. Are other trucks selling as fast? My brother bought a new Ford PU in 2013 and he loves it. My husband tells him if he paid that much for something it had better have 3 bedrooms and 2 baths but I say if you're retired and can afford it and you want it (and it's not illegal) go for it!
 
I think Chevrolet makes the best pickups. Maybe ford sells their's cheaper. Consumers get the quality that they pay for.....
 

If many think the way I do, that is the reason for trucks doing better. I have always driven the larger cars for the built in safety of the size and weight. The size for more space to move and get stopped by the seat belts and the weight for the heavier often over ride the lighter vehicles. Year after year the full size cars of all makes were getting better safety scores over the rest. Now it seems that most makers now use the second largest body size as their bigger car and no bigger cars are made. I may be speaking wrong as I only know for sure with Ford. But looking around on the streets and shopping mall parking lots it seems many are now buying into the smaller car sizes. Some are what I call ridiculously small 2 person sizes. Some are like the earliest VW Beatles. Four passenger if you squeeze together real good.

So I intend to move to the heavier size vehicles. Now the F series is a bit too big and costly for me. But I am going to start looking into the SUV or Vans or 4 door E series pickups. Something with some size and weight that I think will be on my side in case of a impact. I also like the height of the seats and the ability to get in and out without stooping to do so. I had a small car once and really did not like it well. I had a 59 Vauxhall 4 door. It ran well, used it for about 200,000 miles and sold it for a couple hundred to some one wanting a low cost going to work car.

Right now I have a full size 2010 Mercury and they don't make that size anymore so I am starting to see how the heavier stuff like pickups and vans might do for me. Maybe that is why truck sales are going up. Folks prefering room and safety.
 
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These sales figures will change the next time that gas prices rise.

The EPA might raise mpg requirements to make it harder for them to meet regulations.
 
Yaya said:
I think Chevrolet makes the best pickups. Maybe ford sells their's cheaper. Consumers get the quality that they pay for.....
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My point was not to start a popularity war, but rather consider the enormous numbers involved economically, as well as the human element of employment. Then, consider that this is only ONE manufacturer! imp
 
jube, I simply LOVE your reference to that big truck! What year is it, anyway? imp
 
imp said:
My point was not to start a popularity war, but rather consider the enormous numbers involved economically, as well as the human element of employment. Then, consider that this is only ONE manufacturer! imp
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I made a few computer service calls to the huge Ford plant in Claycomo, MO., over the years....where the F150 is made. It is an excellent facility, and the employees all seem to be happy to work there. Ford has a huge staging area near the Ameristar Casino...which we usually visit about once a month, and there is a constant flow of new vehicles being delivered to, and shipped from that huge area....so it appears that sales are doing quite well. The F150 has been the best selling vehicle in the U.S. for the past 35 years.

One of our Daughters/Son-in-Laws had a big Chevy 3/4 ton pickup for a couple of years, and it blew two engines...luckily, still under warranty. After the 2nd engine, they traded it for a huge F350 diesel pickup, and that thing is awesome, and doing great.

I like to look at the new trucks once in awhile...and then when I look at the window sticker price, I pat the old Dodge Dakota on the fender, and keep on truckin. About the Only truck I've seen in recent years that really gets me thinking, is the new Chevy Colorado with the diesel engine....but then, I see the sticker price, and the old Dodge continues to look quite good.
 
My father used to be a confirmed General Motors person---convinced Ford and Chrysler products were lemons. Then too many things started going wrong with GM vehicles, especially in the 60's and 70's. The final straw was a '75 Chevy Camaro he bought me. Everything went wrong with that car. He switched to Ford and never looked back. Whether he was right or not, I give him credit for changing his mind. Usually people never change once they get something stuck in their heads. I had an '86 Ford Ranger for 22 years. Now have his 1997 F-150. When it goes, I'm getting another F-150. The newer body style change isn't as pretty though, imo.:)
 
Nan, I learned about GM engineering as a young pup attending DeVry Technical Institute, in Chicago, after high school. At 19, I had no difficulty completely rebuilding engines. Young guy, a classmate from PA, asked me to install new piston rings in his '56 Chevy engine. I agreed. Educated on Ford engines, I found the Chevy had sub-standard quality bolts used in the engine. First hint was removing the intake manifold. Bolts holding it on had head heights well below standard, such that common wrenches chewed them off, ineffectively.

Beyond that, VERY important bolts, those securing Main and rod bearings, were only Grade 5, whereas every other engine I had seen were Grade 8, much stronger.

"Brand Loyalty" is a foolish illness. Yet, the Ford/Chevy debate and arguments have continued for 50 years. I am the unusual bystander who delves very deeply. I buy a product, especially one as complex as a vehicle, based on those design attributes which I believe are superior to the offerings of others. Make no mistake, though, Ford has not always been my pleasantest experience! imp
 
A friend had bought a new pick up and I asked him if I could borrow it to clean the manure out of my neighbors horse stall...I will never forget the look on his face!!! 2122.gif
 
GM light trucks outsold Ford and Ram for 2015. Looks like they did also in 2014. All three make excellent trucks. I drove Chevy Silverados for years. Now have a Ram. There are features I like about the Ram... and some I don't. But, that was the same with my Silverados. Haven't owned an F-150 since 1972. Have tired to buy them, but just never could strike a deal.

Sheesh! Tried to cut & paste a table of statistics, but it did not post well. Sorry.
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If someone doesn't need one to use in their occupation... I cannot understand the draw.. I see people who aren't in the Trades.. or in need of carrying around tools.. or bales of hay driving these gas guzzlers... AND to top it off.. in areas that get lots of snow and ice... they are way to light in the back.. no traction.. makes no sense. Seems to me they are not very practical if you don't need them to regularly haul things. But again.. that's just my opinion and I am in no way trying to insult those that love their trucks.
 
Normally, there is more than one manufacturing plant for trucks. GMC, which also produces Chevrolet, may have 3-4-or even 5 different manufacturing plants of trucks. I think Chevy's Colorado was Motor Trend's number one pick in 2015. Also, in 2015 the U.S. set a record for auto & light trucks sales, according to the WSJ, which was also aired on CNBC on Tuesday. I believe the number was around 17.5 million.
 
If weight in the back becomes an issue, toss in some hay bales to compensate.

Only becomes a problem in certain weather conditions. Heavier vehicles just make sense to me. Too many of these so called economy cars are just not safe in a crash, don't really save much money on gas, are no help for our economy as most are built in other parts of the world.

Brand is not an issue for me. I am constantly changing brands.

First car was a 1937 Packard 4 dr touring sedan, then 41 Pontiac 4 dr, 49 Oldsmobile 4 dr, 55 Pontiac 2 dr, 59 Vauxhall 4 dr, 1960 Chevrolet Corvair, 64 Pontiac 2 dr, 70 Chrysler 4 dr, 72 Plymouth 4 dr, 78 Ford Van, 90's Lincoln Town Car, 90 Mercury 4 dr, 2005 Lincoln Town Car, 2010 Mercury 4 dr.

Those were about all the wife and I had. Always willing to try something else. Always enjoyed the full size cars. The smaller cars worked OK but never felt comfortable in them. I am 6'3" tall and there is seldom a comfortable position where the steering wheel and my knees are both comfortable. If I pull up to where I like the SW then my knees are just a hair away from the dash. If I drop the seat and push back for better position of the knees, then the SW is in what I consider an awkward position. I get better choices in the bigger body cars. Plus I consider crash safety to be important.
 
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Good news for all...

[h=1]U.S. cars sales sets all-time record 17.5 million units up 5.8%; hybrid sales down 15%,PHEV down 22%[/h]http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-car-sales-poised-for-their-best-month-ever-1451999939

U.S. car sales in 2015 jumped to a record, clearing a peak last reached 15 years ago as cheap gasoline, employment gains and low interest rates spurred Americans to snap up new vehicles.

In all, auto makers sold 17.5 million cars and light trucks in the U.S. last year, a 5.7% increase, and on average paid more for each one. Americans overall spent about $570 billion on new rides—fueling an industry revival that is putting more money in the pockets of auto workers, dealers and executives.

(more)

 
Jackie22 said:
Good news for all...

U.S. cars sales sets all-time record 17.5 million units up 5.8%; hybrid sales down 15%,PHEV down 22%

http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-car-sales-poised-for-their-best-month-ever-1451999939

U.S. car sales in 2015 jumped to a record, clearing a peak last reached 15 years ago as cheap gasoline, employment gains and low interest rates spurred Americans to snap up new vehicles.

In all, auto makers sold 17.5 million cars and light trucks in the U.S. last year, a 5.7% increase, and on average paid more for each one. Americans overall spent about $570 billion on new rides—fueling an industry revival that is putting more money in the pockets of auto workers, dealers and executives.

(more)

Click to expand...

That is good news.. and more reason the Auto Bailout was necessary... In fact they repaid those government loans long ago... See... a little "SOCIALISM" never hurts... in fact many times it does a whole lot of good.
 
QuickSilver said:
That is good news.. and more reason the Auto Bailout was necessary... In fact they repaid those government loans long ago... See... a little "SOCIALISM" never hurts... in fact many times it does a whole lot of good.
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You call it socialism but in reality it was government intervention in the US business world. There should have been allowed the normal bankruptcy efforts and a true recovery of the businesses without government intervention. Ford survived without that government intervention but Chrysler did not in spite of the government intervention. Much of the government money spent was not paid back but was forgiven in the process.
 
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I heard the auto industry was sort of caught off guard by declining gas/oil prices which has lead to many of these sales. But with ANY new auto sale in the US one should realize those many of those are a lease, not an actual purchase which is part of the reason for some of the inflationary pricing of new cars and trucks.
 
QuickSilver said:
If someone doesn't need one to use in their occupation... I cannot understand the draw.. I see people who aren't in the Trades.. or in need of carrying around tools.. or bales of hay driving these gas guzzlers... AND to top it off.. in areas that get lots of snow and ice... they are way to light in the back.. no traction.. makes no sense. Seems to me they are not very practical if you don't need them to regularly haul things. But again.. that's just my opinion and I am in no way trying to insult those that love their trucks.
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QS, it's just like "brand or company loyalty": an aura develops over having what the others have. Last decade or more, it became most desirable to be seen driving a pickup. Rather ridiculous, to me. For a goodly added-on price, four-wheel drive assures good traction. To be sure, what you say about light in the rear is very true. Once, as I was gathering rock in a desert wash for the house we were building in Vegas, my old 2-wheel drive mired down in the fine gravel in the wash I was following. I loaded a ton of rocks in the back bed, and it pulled right out! Years ago, hard braking with a pick-up resulted in rear wheels locking, which tended to swing the rear around, making it pretty scary! Today, brake proportioning and skid control are automatically done.
 
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