Ford's sales still horrible, but improving
Posted
Apr 01 2009, 12:33 PM
by
Kim Peterson
Rating:
Warmer weather could be helping Ford (F) out, as spring thaws bring more people into its dealerships. Ford's March sales were up by a third from February -- a horrific month in which the automaker only sold 99,060 cars.
In March, Ford sold about 131,000 cars and trucks in the U.S. That number still pales to the 222,000 it sold at the same time last year, but at least it's an improvement from February.
Does this mean things are getting better for Ford? Probably not yet. Many consumers -- including commenters on this blog -- say they're still waiting for good deals and price breaks before plunking down for a new car. Consumer spending is still too low to give Ford any peace of mind.
Automakers are trying hard to lure buyers. Their incentive spending is at record levels -- about $3,200 on average for a car, a 30% increase from last year. Ford and other rivals have even agreed to take over monthly car payments for customers who lose their jobs.
Other carmakers report their March sales later today. Stay tuned for the update.
Image credit: Eduardo Sortica, Creative Commons attribution sharealike 3.0 license
Related reading:
Will GM, Ford offers lure more buyers?
Toyota to become No. 1 car company in US
Sales decline threatens auto bailout
Auto bailout in danger as sales fall to 46-year-low
