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Ford expects its new car sales to be hit in 2010 when pan-European scrappage schemes are withdrawn across the continent.

Ford of Europe is currently forecasting a drop in sales of around two million units on 2009’s figures to around 13 to 14.5 million units.

No more scrappage extensions

Ingvar Sviggum, the firm’s head of marketing, sales and service, said in a statement that 2010 wa...Read the full article

Poor Ford - A friend tried to order a new Fiesta specifically with a purple dash (which is an option). Placed the order but the dealer did not order the car in time for September the 1st 59 reg delivery - 3 weeks later stated they had one with a grey dash ready for delivery - obviously they did not order the car hoping the customer would be desperate for a car on September 1st so would sell one from stock - bought a MINI instead! If Ford are really worried about scrappage ending they should put the customer first.

 Why do motor manufacturers and their associated trade bodies (and the motoring press) think that they should be supported, to maintain their sales levels, when other sectors of the economy are getting no support whatsoever? They should think themselves lucky to have had the assistance they have had so far. The Motor industry has been over producing for years and they should accept that times are different now and they have to adjust their businesses to suit.

aston01:

If Ford are really worried about scrappage ending they should put the customer first.

 

Its this arogance that is so annoying...the manufacturers are doing very little to help themselves, they just expect someone else to help them out all the time.

They already have a subsidy, it was the vat rebate, why should they have got extra??? There seem to be alot more basic Kia Picantos and basic Pandas about too, so the government will have made a loss on these, and these are probably cars that would not have been bought (probably bought something like a four year old Astra or Civic instead), the scheme from that point of view is a loss\loss scheme for the UK.

Though I am annoyed because I have put off getting shut of a four year old car and replacing it with a new one, this scheme has reduced its value and increased the price of new ones, and have thought sod it I'll keep it 'til the bottom falls out of it.

catnip:

catnip wrote the following post at Nov 12, 2009 1:03 PM:

 Why do motor manufacturers and their associated trade bodies (and the motoring press) think that they should be supported, to maintain their sales levels, when other sectors of the economy are getting no support whatsoever? They should think themselves lucky to have had the assistance they have had so far. The Motor industry has been over producing for years and they should accept that times are different now and they have to adjust their businesses to suit.

Exactly - the government didn't step in and help Woolworths when all those thousands of jobs were lost, or all the other jobs that have been lost across the country from other sectors.

catnip:

The Motor industry has been over producing for years and they should accept that times are different now and they have to adjust their businesses to suit.

True, but in the meantime the unions should be stripped of their rights to suspend work or whatever if the manufacturers lay off workers or simply reduce the wages. Do it the socialist or the capitalist way (I'm also for the latter), but do it consistently.

the german sales for october have risen with scrappage now removed......

so maybe not quite as much to worry about.

keeforelli:

the german sales for october have risen with scrappage now removed......

so maybe not quite as much to worry about.

no. you're confusing order date with registration date. the end of order taking with the scrappage incentive was September but the delivery and registration of these cars will have been/will be October, November, December...quite possibly into 2010, as the 2 million units, €5bn German scrappage scheme by its sheer size created enormous bottlenecks and order backlogs for the likes of VW, who could only satisfy them with months delay from order point. the German dealers association are of course well aware of this and therefore know full well that 2010 will be nail-biting and grey hairs all round time. comprende?

The same thing, but with lesser magnitude - due to the scheme's much smaller size - will happen in UK, when the scheme ends in Feb 2010. there will be boosted sales figs. for March, April, possibly later still, just in time for the election! mere coincidence.

optimal_909:

True, but in the meantime the unions should be stripped of their rights to suspend work or whatever

What the hell are you talking about? We are not yet slaves in this country, despite the best efforts of politicians and public apathy. How dare you even suggest that a worker does not have the right to strike/withdraw his labour? Keep that Thatcherite claptrap to yourself.

It's your 'capitalist way' that caused this current economic mess. Give us the European way please in this country. Germany and France have coped much better with the mess created by the US/UK economic systems.

I do agree with those who say the scrappage scheme is wrong. I see no reason why taxpayers should fund this industry in this way, especially as most of the money goes abraod, to Korea or wherever.

I just want the Government to stop shovelling our money into the 'capitalist' banks to prop them up.