129k vs 126k units.....april 09

[on d bit]

whats this? ford out sells toyota stateside? rofl

nice job ford! even more impressive is that is was done in a down economy!!! wow!

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/01/ford-sells-more-cars-in-april-than-toyota/

 

[ChipBeck]

The last man standing!!

Gentlemen,

In addition to outstanding product, serious cost control, and the finest automotive top management in the business, I am certain there is something else going on here. The nationalization of General Motors and Chrysler has been a vicious assault upon their secured bondholders in order to protect the United Auto Workers. Contract law has been shattered and the ensuing loss of trust among investors will cause damage for decades to come. As regards government meddling in the marketplace, nothing bites harder than the unintended consequences that inevitably follow.

There are millions of individuals, like myself, who will not buy a car or truck from an automobile company that has been confiscated (nationalized) by the government. The Ford Motor Company is the only privately owned automobile manufacturer left in the United States of America. They are the last man standing. Every red-blooded American man and woman who values what's left of our free-market capitalist economy is proud to stand with them. As long as the Ford Motor Company can stay free of Uncle Sam's clutches, and as long as my heart is still beating and my lungs are taking air, I will purchase nothing but Ford Motor Company vehicles.

God bless America's only surviving car and truck manufacturer.

Chip

 

[Waldo]

Amen, Chip. :usa

Best Regards,
Waldo

 

[Kirby Vieira]

Well said, Chip. Ford deserves our business, they've earned it. :cheers

 

[S592R]

my next truck will be a Ford. .. without a doubt. Too bad you can't order a leather interior and a manual transmission anymore. :frown Anybody got a report on the new Taurus?

 

[sandman]

Bravo Chip! My daughter is getting an Edge this week and the wife has a Flex on the way.

 

[Fast Freddy]

i currently own 5 Fords and i was hoping that Ford could bail me out :lol

 

[Triheart7]

Well said, Chip. Ford deserves our business, they've earned it. :cheers

With six Fords I agree. :thumbsup

 

[THamonGT]

Chip, Very well said. As a retired Ford Dealer I won't drive or own anything but a Ford product. I have purchased many shares of Ford stock and are presently working in our Texas association for our Ford Dealers. Ford Motor Company is working very hard to be everyones preferred car company. Great products and great management. Tomy

 

[standj]

With 7 Fords (if you include Mercury) I agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John

 

[FM99]

Only 4 Fords, but well said! The Administrations attack on bond holders is demoralizing, offensive, and troubling. Go Ford!

 

[on d bit]

would ford be able to outsell toyota for all of 2009? i am assuming they are currently behind even after the great april from ford.

great comment chip! an idea that i had not thought of before, but it is certainly true.

 

[djs]

I agree completely with Chip. My sarcastic comments about the CIC (referred to and deleted as the "Socialist in Chief") refer to how Ford is still on the hook for their various debts. GM and Chrysler are not. Guys, the playing field is not level for the only team abiding by the rules[/I! If you don't believe me, look at today's article by PAUL INGRASSIA in the WSJ.

He states Ford is... "the only Detroit auto maker to forgo government assistance, at least so far. That's good for the taxpayers and for Ford, right? Well, maybe not. While General Motors and Chrysler will emerge from the government restructuring wringer with significantly reduced debt, Ford will still likely be obliged to repay its lenders. This could put Ford at a competitive disadvantage -- an unfortunate irony for the one Detroit car company that has gotten the decisions mostly right in the last few years."

While the rest of the article is not this bleak (and is fairly encouraging for Ford), the fact remains, GM and Chrysler have a debt advantage, and it's not from their own doing.

The crux of this is, Ford got and kept their house in order, in a very painful climate. Ford is still paying their own bills. GM and Chrysler ran their homes into the ground, but the Gov't is paying off their mortgage.

It ain't right...

 

[dbk]

On a side note, I was in a band with Paul Ingrassia's son in high school. Useless info for the day.

 

[RALPHIE]

He states Ford is... "the only Detroit auto maker to forgo government assistance, at least so far. That's good for the taxpayers and for Ford, right? Well, maybe not. While General Motors and Chrysler will emerge from the government restructuring wringer with significantly reduced debt, Ford will still likely be obliged to repay its lenders. This could put Ford at a competitive disadvantage -- an unfortunate irony for the one Detroit car company that has gotten the decisions mostly right in the last few years."

While the rest of the article is not this bleak (and is fairly encouraging for Ford), the fact remains, GM and Chrysler have a debt advantage, and it's not from their own doing.
...

Wait a minute - aren't the bailouts actually federal loans? They'll have to be paid back, just as any private loans. The advantage would only be in the terms of the loans - payback over time periods. It's not free money.

 

[PL510*Jeff]

:agree:

On a side note, I was in a band with Paul Ingrassia's son in high school. Useless info for the day.

 

[djs]

Wait a minute - aren't the bailouts actually federal loans? They'll have to be paid back, just as any private loans. The advantage would only be in the terms of the loans - payback over time periods. It's not free money.

Uh, no.


Chrysler won't repay bailout money
An administration official confirms that a $4 billion bridge loan and $3.2 billion in bankruptcy financing won't be paid back by Chrysler following bankruptcy.
By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer
Last Updated: May 6, 2009: 3:44 AM ET

BTW, rumors are already circulating that GM will follow the same course.
Tax payers got hosed big time...

 

[BlackICE]

Tax payers got hosed big time...

Isn't that what always happens? :thumbsdow

 

[RALPHIE]

Sh*t​

If it's you or I in a bankrupcy proceeding, the Feds are always the first to get their piece of the action, i.e. back taxes. So, in this case, the judge puts the Feds after the other claimants???? And lets the Fed loan be subsidized by the taxpayer?

That's Bullsh*t​