Author Topic: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford  (Read 3139 times)

98SVT - was 06GT

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Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« on: August 05, 2022, 11:43:49 AM »
Get rid of the dealers and sell cars online

https://fordauthority.com/2022/06/ford-ceo-jim-farley-wants-100-percent-digital-sales-fixed-prices/

Yeah I'm sure the 3100 Ford dealers in the US alone will be happy delivering your car and rotating tires.

Oh and you might as well lay off 8,000 people that make the ICE cars

https://fordauthority.com/2022/07/ford-ceo-jim-farley-says-company-has-too-many-people/

He's also said people will have to get used to the new look of Fords - how ugly are Henry's Mc Cars going to be? They have a whole line of pure EVs that are being kept under wraps until their expected mass debut in 2023.




Previous owner 6S843 - GT350H & 68 GT500 Convert #135.
Mine: GT1 Mustang Track Toy, 1998 SVT Cobra, Wife's: 2004 Tbird
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crossboss

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2022, 12:04:29 PM »
...And speaking of a POS, I just saw the new Maverick truck. Yep, a POS. And a real ugly POS at that.
Past owned Shelby's:
1968 GT-350--Gold
1970 GT-500--#3129--Grabber Orange.
Current lifelong projects:
1969 Mustang Fastback/FOX chassis, 5 speed, 4 wheel discs, with a modern Can-Am 494 (Boss 429), Kaase heads, intake with a 1425 cfm 'B' Autolite Inline carb, ala Trans-Am style
1968/70 Olds 442 W-30

Grumpy

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2022, 12:24:07 PM »
I don't understand whats keeping the dealers open now ? Service carrying the whole load of the dealership ? I have been looking for 2 new cars an dealers don't have squat. What a mess !  :(

TOBKOB

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2022, 12:50:40 PM »
I started looking for a new or gently used F250 over 2 yrs ago and soon gave up on gently used because they were pretty much the same price as new minus the warranty. Given I'm picky and the inventory at the dealers (I looked at dealers in several states) dried up I decided to wait and order a new one after everything gets better. Luckily My '99 F250 7.3 still runs and looks good so I'm patiently waiting. We did buy a new Lincoln for my wife in Feb. and surprisingly we found what we were looking for at several dealers. I guess used cars and service are paying the bills.

TOB
« Last Edit: August 05, 2022, 09:33:36 PM by TOBKOB »
1969 GT350 owned since 1970

98SVT - was 06GT

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2022, 01:00:02 PM »
I don't understand whats keeping the dealers open now ? Service carrying the whole load of the dealership ? I have been looking for 2 new cars an dealers don't have squat. What a mess !  :(

Part of Farley's pitch is that dealers have been marking up cars and charging premiums on low supply cars. Well guess what Jim - you already sold that car and walked away telling the guy here's your truckload of cars give us a check and good luck with the sales. Their store, their cars, their business, you going to sell that old Cobra for sticker? It takes X amount of money to keep the doors open. If you are getting 1/2 the cars you need to make twice as much one each one just to stay even. Lots of dealers were down to 25-30% allocation.
I know a guy who works at a dealer. They got called on the carpet by Ford for markup. During the great shortage last year they were buying cars from small dealers in flyover country for sticker price, paying to have them transported to their dealership and then marking them up to cover their costs. One woman didn't like that a F150 was $5,000 over sticker and took a picture to send to Ford. The dealer documented $2,300 of the $5000 was direct cost and they would only make $2,700 on the truck. He also sold his low mileage F350 back to the dealer for $3000 over sticker - which he didn't pay in the first place. Marking up a Bronco to $100,000 is good business in my opinion. If some guy is willing to pay the freight to be the first on his block that's fine. Like my dad always said a fool and his money will soon be parted.
And yes service is really helping right now. With the shortage people are thinking maybe I better take care of what I have since I just can't dump it and get a new one.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2022, 01:08:52 PM by 98SVT - was 06GT »
Previous owner 6S843 - GT350H & 68 GT500 Convert #135.
Mine: GT1 Mustang Track Toy, 1998 SVT Cobra, Wife's: 2004 Tbird
Member since 1975 - priceless

crossboss

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #5 on: August 05, 2022, 01:55:31 PM »
My worthless two cents...
Don't buy new. Why? Overpriced, too much on sales/taxes, ripoff fees, aka doc, smog/emissions, and just the DMV fees alone. Buy a nice, low milage used vehicle. I am right now doing just that. A 2010-2012 Escape XLT or a Limited. These are great, reliable (can last up to over 250K miles), safe, with excellent gas mileage, stylish cars/trucks (actually called 'cross-overs') with all the bling you can want. Prices are in the 7,500-10K range. You'll save on insurance, and the daily cost is cheap. Why buy new anymore?
Past owned Shelby's:
1968 GT-350--Gold
1970 GT-500--#3129--Grabber Orange.
Current lifelong projects:
1969 Mustang Fastback/FOX chassis, 5 speed, 4 wheel discs, with a modern Can-Am 494 (Boss 429), Kaase heads, intake with a 1425 cfm 'B' Autolite Inline carb, ala Trans-Am style
1968/70 Olds 442 W-30

68stangcjfb

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2022, 05:42:13 PM »
A Men! I have never bought a new car, truck or motorcycle. And I never will!
68 1/2 CJ Mustang GT FB auto 3.91s 68 1/2 CJ Torino GT FB 3.91s 60 Thunderbird 64 Falcon Sprint conv. 4Spd 65 Falcon Sedan Delivery 67 Fairlane 500 SW 428 4Spd, 68 Torino 4dr 95 Thunderbird SC. 89 F250 Supercab 2wd, 98 Mustang conv. 99 Jeep Cherokee 2002 Thunderbird. 96 Harley FLSTN Heritage Special

Lincoln tech

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2022, 07:40:26 PM »
I don't understand whats keeping the dealers open now ? Service carrying the whole load of the dealership ? I have been looking for 2 new cars an dealers don't have squat. What a mess !  :(
Because of market adjustment Sales guys are selling less cars and making more money so no complaints there, Service Dept alone can't carry the whole dealership there is not enough customer pay work , most of the work that comes in through the door is WARRANTY which hurts everyone. Dealers are only allowed to order so many units to keep on the lot ( some have used a shady tactic of ordering vehicles in fake names or even using employee names ) and when Ford finds out they get a slap on the wrist if you are a certain dealer  ;) Buy directly from the manufacturer and dump the dealers has been on the table for a while. They are also selling used for the price of new so good luck with the used idea.I've been around Ford dealers for close to 50 years I have seen it all.

deathsled

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #8 on: August 06, 2022, 10:55:50 AM »
Maybe his real name is Chris Farley and his vision is more a joke or rather a hallucination.
"Low she sits on five spoke wheels
Small block eight so live she feels
There she's parked beside the curb
Engine revving to disturb
She's the princess from his past
Red paint gold stripes damned she's fast"

shelbydoug

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #9 on: August 06, 2022, 11:26:13 AM »
I mentioned this story to a friend who is a Ford Store Owner. He had not heard about it at all but needless to say was not happy about it.

It just seems entirely self destructive to me. That's what I mean about a "suicide/murder Pact".

He would be murdering the dealers and their employees and how could it be anything but committing suicide with the board of directors and stockholders?

Splitting the EV's out into their own division is one thing and questionable if you take them out of a Ford dealership but taking new car sales out as well is not even a rational action to take.
68 GT350 Lives Matter!

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #10 on: August 06, 2022, 12:42:59 PM »
I mentioned this story to a friend who is a Ford Store Owner. He had not heard about it at all but needless to say was not happy about it.

It just seems entirely self destructive to me. That's what I mean about a "suicide/murder Pact".

He would be murdering the dealers and their employees and how could it be anything but committing suicide with the board of directors and stockholders?

Splitting the EV's out into their own division is one thing and questionable if you take them out of a Ford dealership but taking new car sales out as well is not even a rational action to take.
Just like when Ford paid dealers to close doors in 2008 :-X

98SVT - was 06GT

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #11 on: August 06, 2022, 02:58:16 PM »
Just like when Ford paid dealers to close doors in 2008 :-X
Smaller, under performing, wouldn't or couldn't afford to upgrade facility to meet Ford's vision of a dealership. Mostly old mom & pop dealers who were ready to retire. I don't think there was one of them who beefed about the deal they got to sell their franchise back.
Previous owner 6S843 - GT350H & 68 GT500 Convert #135.
Mine: GT1 Mustang Track Toy, 1998 SVT Cobra, Wife's: 2004 Tbird
Member since 1975 - priceless

Side-Oilers

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #12 on: August 06, 2022, 04:30:56 PM »
Here's my purely anecdotal experience regarding FoMoCo dealers in my area. And yes, I understand about the Covid fallout, employee and parts shortages, etc.

The nearest Lincoln dealer to me in San Diego area is a Penske store, where I bought our Navigator Black Label new in 2019. 

Aside from a minimal re-do of the showroom and small waiting area, it's your basic 1980s' looking store.

The service bays are all outside, with minimal cover. And there is almost always a week or so wait to get an appointment. Then, on appointment day, you drop it off and hope to see it again in an unknown of days. The service writer literally told me to take my Nav to a big Ford dealer, as I'd have better luck getting it in there. All I wanted was to have the transmission looked at, because of hard shifting that just started occurring.

So, I took it to my local Ford dealer, and the experience there was even worse than at the Penske store. The Ford service writer told me flat out that it'd be TWO MONTHS before he had an available transmission tech to look at the vehicle. I of course said No Thanks and eventually took it back to Penske Lincoln. After a three week wait, with my Nav sitting in their holding lot collecting dust, they finally had a tech open and quickly deduced the problem as just needing a software reboot to fix. He did that, and it's been trouble free ever since. 

The "Black Label" special service and treatment is virtually nonexistent at this store, and IF they even have a loaner car for you, it will literally be one of the same three pieces of crap base-model Lincolns with over 50,000 miles on them. The last one I got wasn't even washed and had less than a quarter-tank of gas in it.

The overall look of the place is like a second-rate used car lot.  Really disappointing for the Lincoln brand and the Penske brand both.

When I purchased our Navigator, that meant Lincoln "conquested" me from other brands. That's what they try their hardest to do....hence the supposed Black Label special perks.  I'd never owned a Lincoln in my life. Now, I'm looking elsewhere for its replacement.

Farley is making major blunders. And yes, I understand a fair amount about the challenges of car companies and dealers. But, I don't think his vision is a very good one.

BTW: The second-nearest Lincoln dealer to me is about 50 miles away.  Come on, guys...this is Southern California, not the Southern Hemisphere!
« Last Edit: August 06, 2022, 05:02:56 PM by Side-Oilers »
Current:
2006 FGT. Tungsten. Whipple, HRE 20s, Ohlin coil-overs, 3.90 gears. 210.7 mph.

Kirkham Cobra. 482-inch aluminum side-oiler. Tremec 5-spd.

Formerly:
1968 GT500KR #2575 (1982-2022)
1970 Ranchero GT 429
1969 LTD Country Squire 429
1963 T-Bird Sport Roadster
1957 T-Bird E-model 3-spd stick

shelbydoug

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #13 on: August 06, 2022, 06:27:46 PM »
I don't know any that look like that here. An average size has around 12 bays. The bigger ones double that.

As far as getting service appointments out of four locals I called in May, the nearest appointment available was third week in August.

Apparently visions of what a"Ford Store" should be can vary.

I am told that no one has any inventory. While I was waiting to pickup my car from service, I heard one salesman say that they had no Mavericks but thought they would be "permitted" to order them in September?


It is an interesting phenomena and apparently I don't understand exactly what is happening but logically you can't sell cars that you do not have? So what is the difference which division of Ford we are talking about or is reorganized into if they have nothing to sell?
« Last Edit: August 06, 2022, 06:29:52 PM by shelbydoug »
68 GT350 Lives Matter!

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Re: Jim Farley's vision for killing Ford
« Reply #14 on: August 07, 2022, 08:40:53 AM »
Here's my purely anecdotal experience regarding FoMoCo dealers in my area. And yes, I understand about the Covid fallout, employee and parts shortages, etc.

The nearest Lincoln dealer to me in San Diego area is a Penske store, where I bought our Navigator Black Label new in 2019. 

Aside from a minimal re-do of the showroom and small waiting area, it's your basic 1980s' looking store.

The service bays are all outside, with minimal cover. And there is almost always a week or so wait to get an appointment. Then, on appointment day, you drop it off and hope to see it again in an unknown of days. The service writer literally told me to take my Nav to a big Ford dealer, as I'd have better luck getting it in there. All I wanted was to have the transmission looked at, because of hard shifting that just started occurring.

So, I took it to my local Ford dealer, and the experience there was even worse than at the Penske store. The Ford service writer told me flat out that it'd be TWO MONTHS before he had an available transmission tech to look at the vehicle. I of course said No Thanks and eventually took it back to Penske Lincoln. After a three week wait, with my Nav sitting in their holding lot collecting dust, they finally had a tech open and quickly deduced the problem as just needing a software reboot to fix. He did that, and it's been trouble free ever since. 

The "Black Label" special service and treatment is virtually nonexistent at this store, and IF they even have a loaner car for you, it will literally be one of the same three pieces of crap base-model Lincolns with over 50,000 miles on them. The last one I got wasn't even washed and had less than a quarter-tank of gas in it.

The overall look of the place is like a second-rate used car lot.  Really disappointing for the Lincoln brand and the Penske brand both.

When I purchased our Navigator, that meant Lincoln "conquested" me from other brands. That's what they try their hardest to do....hence the supposed Black Label special perks.  I'd never owned a Lincoln in my life. Now, I'm looking elsewhere for its replacement.

Farley is making major blunders. And yes, I understand a fair amount about the challenges of car companies and dealers. But, I don't think his vision is a very good one.

BTW: The second-nearest Lincoln dealer to me is about 50 miles away.  Come on, guys...this is Southern California, not the Southern Hemisphere!
Another happy Lincoln customer  :o I worked for 24 years in a very successful L/M dealer in Phila it was a small place with about 100 employees , over the years we have built up a customer base who trusted us that was second to none ( I would say == remember our customers can afford to drive high end vehicles but they choose Lincoln we must take care of them , and we did ) Life was good. Then in 2008 I never thought that Ford would allow the only Lincoln dealer in Phila to close it's doors so I was forced to finish my career in a large Ford dealer that don't give shit about anything but money.Back in the day I would say = who is going to fix those cars after we are gone ???? There is no more good techs only young kids that don't care or understand.
Fords labor standards are terrible so who cares if the car gets fixed or not =, let them came back few times.As far as I'm concerned Ford killed Lincoln and now it looks like they want to do the same to themselves ( only my opinion ) One more thing, Ford dealers don't want to deal with Lincolns so they will blow you away saying they're booked up ( look here comes another pain in the ass Lincoln owner ) LOL  Good luck.