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2010 Ford Taurus

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Comments

  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I thought I saw a shadow under that bridge...

    I'd like to know what people who say the Taurus is overpriced think the Taurus should be priced near. The old-tech, compact inside big outside Impala? That's a joke.
  • Allen, I do think you are one of the most informed, intelligent people on these forums. That said, maybe it is possible you are missing the point. Regardless of how the new Taurus, equipped as it is, may be worth the money, Hyundai and Kia have the better idea (as Lexus did years ago): undercut the competition price-wise with a product that measures up, and people will eventually start buying it in numbers.

    If Ford is really already offering a $1K rebate on the 2010 Taurus, then all you are saying is beside the point. If this company, in the straits it is in, believes it can offer that sort of discount and still survive, why didn't they cut the list price in the beginning and advertise the hell out of it instead? Rebates are not as cheap as lowering the price in the first place. Ford is learning, but slowly, and this is an example. There is a lot of talk about how expensive the Taurus is. How is that good? How did anyone in sales or marketing think that by restyling the Taurus to be a car that people might actually buy (because it was not so stupidly styled anymore) mean that Ford could now charge close to what competitors with a track record in that strata are charging?

    Hyundai had no such fantasies when it introduced a rear wheel drive very quiet V8 sedan that actually gets as good mileage as many V6s. The jury is still out as to whether the Genesis nameplate will grow, but they won't need to begin giving them away any time soon. Meanwhile, Ford is drowning in debt. I give them credit for not taking a government handout, but GM, by admitting they screwed up royally, could actually end up doing them one better. And that sucks. Over the course of history and a dumb as GM has been at times, they usually figure out how to beat Ford. The crappy Impala is an example. But the CTS is a better example.

    Ford could clean up if they could build and market the Fusion like they used to do with the Taurus years ago. As good as the Fusion is, they don't have the means to build it in large numbers. There was a brief time when Taurus wasn't the fleet queen, but rather was the best in its category. It's time to get back to that.
  • dodgeman07dodgeman07 Member Posts: 574
    I'd like to know what people who say the Taurus is overpriced think the Taurus should be priced near.

    //////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

    Near a Honda Accord. The Honda offers the same passenger compartment volume as the new Taurus and offers the comfort and convenience features that buyers want for thousands less than the Taurus.

    An Accord EX-L with the V6 stickers for $29,800. An equivalent Taurus Limited w/moonroof is $32,890. The Accord is 10% cheaper, 10% lighter and 10% more efficient.

    We don't even need to discuss the 4 cylinder Accords because their price, weight and efficiency are so far superior it becomes 21st century vs. 20th century.

    I don't know that all this matters much though. The rebates and incentives on the Taurus will likely have the actual transaction prices very, very close to the Accord.

    I believe by spring 2010 Ford will have $3,000 rebates on all Taurus models. The Taurus is good but so is the competition. If Ford can get enough butts in their seats, they will turn some heads and make some sales.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I understand what you're saying Gregg, but that's not what these yahoos are saying. They're saying it's too expensive just because it has a blue oval on it and that's rubbish. My guess is they wouldn't spend $35K on any new vehicle period and they have an axe to grind with Ford.

    Anyone who does an objective comparison based on FACTS (like grad) understands that the Taurus is competitively priced. If the market won't support it then Ford will have to make a decision to make but cutting the price probably isn't on the list. They'll either make do with a smaller market share or get rid of it. Cutting the price puts it too close to the Fusion.

    I don't think Ford wants to attract bargain hunters because there's no money in it. They're not trying to establish an entire brand like Hyundai. They have a plan to take Ford upmarket and they certainly have the product to do it. If it doesn't work with consumers then it doesn't work but I don't fault Ford for trying.

    This is just typical Ford bashing by people who wouldn't buy a new Ford anyway unless it came with a $10K discount. They're probably disgruntled Panther fans.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Near a Honda Accord.

    Oh sure - let's conveniently forget about the Fusion. I don't care if the Accord is borderline on the EPA size chart, it competes with the Fusion and the Camry. You never hear about the Accord competing with the Avalon.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    This is just typical Ford bashing

    No, I don't think so. I think it is mostly the opposite. Here Ford stands at a critical juncture to their long term health - they should be pricing aggressively to get people into their showrooms and see the new product in order to change stereotyping of it. Large rebates only serve to cheapen product in the consumers eyes. If you hope for larger margins down the road, you've first got to differentiate and change people's perceptions of the company and its products.
  • dodgeman07dodgeman07 Member Posts: 574
    You never hear about the Accord competing with the Avalon.

    /////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

    What planet do you live on? The Accord does compete with the Avalon.

    You need to wake up. Planet earth to kirby. Come in!
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    There are hundreds of comparison tests between Accord and Camry. How many can you find comparing Accord to Avalon? I've never seen one. Just like you see Accord and Fusion, not Accord and Taurus.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Since when is $1000 on a $30K car considered a large rebate? If it was $3K or $4K then that would be a problem.

    The new Ford will cut production before they raise incentives to high levels. That is a fundamental change that took place at Ford over the last 2 years. Inventory levels are being managed so that they don't end up with overstock situations where you have to put $5K on the hood just to get rid of excess inventory.

    Ford spent the better part of the last decade trying to compete on price and found out there are others that can do it better. They tried selling vehicles to rental fleets and putting huge amounts of cash on the hood just to keep factories open and found out that doesn't yield profits. They tried relying on a few vehicles to generate profit and found out that doesn't work when the market changes.

    This is definitely a new move for Ford and it has some risks, but at least now they have the reliability and a decent product and are building the reputation that it takes to pull it off.

    I understand that some people still think Ford needs to sell a lot of cars right away or do something drastic with rebates or lowering the price but that would only produce short term results and Ford needs to focus on long term sustainability.

    If you think the Taurus is too pricey, don't buy one. But that also means the REAL competition is also too pricey.
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    The Genesis is a very good car, but it will never get you up a slippery hill in winter and it rides badly over bumps. I have driven it and was dissapointed.
  • wjtinatlwjtinatl Member Posts: 50
    While I agree with earlier posts that Avalon is the natural competitor for the new Taurus, I disagree with the assertion that the Avalon is better, top to bottom. I'll grant that the Toyota 3.5L V-6 is a jewel of a motor, easily the smoothest and most efficient, if not a powerful as the Nissan V-6. However that's where Avalon superiority ends. Toyota reliability is not what it used to be and their build quality while consistently good, is not exceptional and is easily equaled by Ford, as well as some GM (Buick) competition. The Avalon chassis, being a stretched Camry (an average driving and handling car at best) is nothing special and I find the Avalon to be spongy, underdamped and suffering in the tire and brakes department. Finally, at least in the Southeast, there have been many Avalon's dumped into rental fleets (mainly Hertz) so their residual resale values are hardly legendary. I do think Ford is stretching the Taurus brand to it's limits with their pricing strategy and question the ability to mine enough equity from the Taurus nameplate to justify the price. The availiability of AWD as well as the high-tech options may appeal to some, but with an AWD Limited near 38k, they're facing some stiff competition from Acura, Infiniti, even corporate sibling (for now) Volvo. I give Ford credit for sticking by the name and greatly improving the product, just hope they haven't reached too far in this economic climate to give a solid product a chance.
  • dodgeman07dodgeman07 Member Posts: 574
    I give Ford credit for sticking by the name and greatly improving the product, just hope they haven't reached too far in this economic climate to give a solid product a chance.

    ========================================

    Five years ago this new Taurus looked okay on the drawing board. By the time it got to market, things had changed drastically. A 203" sedan weighing 4,100 pounds and costing over $30K are a tough sell today.

    Someone earlier mentioned that Ford would rather sell 50,000 units at a profit than 200,000 units at a loss. I'm sure that's true but I have a relative who is a recently retired VP from Ford and he would quickly explain why 50,000 units won't get the job done.

    The $3,000 and $4,000 rebates are coming soon to a Ford store near you. In fact $1,000 rebates, 0% financing and whatever you can get the dealership to knock off the price are available today in my area; that's worth close to $4K now and the Taurus just hit the lots a few weeks ago. ;)
  • gregagrega Member Posts: 31
    Ford has positioned the new Taurus/SHO upmarket and compares it to cars like the Audi A6 and Lexus LS, NOT the camry or accord, thats fusion territory!

    Therefore, by moving up market, the price becomes a better value propositon for ford when compared to more expensive Audi and Lexus... its all about positioning.

    Just because the clowns on this forum have no clue and use excuses like its too expensive or too heavy prove they are clueless, especially about marketing!

    You won't see Ford compare the Taurus to Camry or Accord, its the WRONG market segment, they are midsize, Taurus is full size.
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    ...but please dispense with the name-calling. It is unnecessary and adds nothing to the conversation.

    Thanks!
  • dodgeman07dodgeman07 Member Posts: 574
    The Accord is now a full-size car.

    Think and say what you will, but marketing and manufacturing people know Ford will be discounting the Taurus $4,000 next year so they sell.

    If the marketing geniuses at Ford had an understanding of their target market and it's demographics they would sell more cars. Trying to move "up-market" in the 2008-2010 time frame to a different target won't happen.

    As it is, Ford is crawling into 2010 on their hands and knees hoping for another "Cash For Clunkers" bail out so they don't have to take the $4,500 hit on their cars. Myself - I realize HUGE discounts are coming soon to a Ford store near you!
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    If Ford is really already offering a $1K rebate on the 2010 Taurus,
    we won't have to worry about what Ford's MSRP is - folks that would consider buying one EXPECT a big discount and they get it - much like they would if they are buying other D3 cars and/or Korean cars. A 'tradition' those companies can thank themselves for - and the result of selling substandard products for many many years. Avalons and the like didn't have that problem and still sell for a higher price (relative to invoice) than the others do - even in this economy - wonder why? :surprise:
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    As it is, Ford is crawling into 2010 on their hands and knees hoping for another "Cash For Clunkers" bail out so they don't have to take the $4,500 hit on their cars. Myself - I realize HUGE discounts are coming soon to a Ford store near you!

    I say you're wrong and the new Taurus will sell in reasonable volumes at least where the old model was before last year - around 5k/month. You won't see more than $2K cash on the hood. They'll cut production before they go higher than that.

    Guess we'll have to wait and see.

    And please just ignore you-know-who and he'll eventually go away.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    ...but you may also see indirect $ on top like Ford Credit bonus, loyalty or conquest $.

    I think Ford and GM will get to where they can price with Honda and Toyota in the next 5 years or so, but I wish they had been initially more aggressive right now so they could move away from all the promo money and start focusing people on value and quality. Ford and GM got themselves into a hole with some of the crap they did in the past. Now they need to show they have redeemed their ways and that means getting butts into seats. Either approach gets the sales, but incentives and the like degrade the vehicle and emphasize "the deal" instead. Not where they should be going right now in my opinion.
  • captain2captain2 Member Posts: 3,971
    well, I guess we'll take these one at a time:
    Toyota 3.5L V-6 is a jewel of a motor, easily the smoothest and most efficient, ss we'll take these one at a time: - true
    Toyota reliability is not what it used to be - the Avalon is CR rated better than average (as it always has been) - no change even from when it really was a stretched Camry (see below)
    being a stretched Camry (an average driving and handling car at best) is nothing special and I find the Avalon to be spongy, underdamped
    used to be: the 05 Avalon came before the 06 Camry. It was the first application for the 2GR engine and substantially larger (not just stretched) than the Camry at the time. If anything the new Camry is a shrunk Avalon. And yes, Toyotas, in general, are indeed 'soft' - something that Toyota has understood over the years - Americans WANT big comfy highway cruisers. Their sales stats prove it.
    and lastly:
    their residual resale values are hardly legendary
    and this is why the Avalon annuallly leads TCO numbers for ALL vehicles in this class? Don't know about legendary, but surely without peer. and also a function of keeping those sell prices up.
    You want to talk about things that the money floods out of when you drive them out of the showroom - let's talk about Ford products :confuse:
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    Yes - I learned to read writing my thesis at Yale.

    Okay I gotta ask...how did you get into Yale without knowing how to read? :confuse:
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    I've driven the 2010 Taurus, and while it's okay, it's no true sporting sedan, at least not in front wheel drive config.

    It really is truly heavy, with a motor and brakes that are not exactly well suited given the hefty weight.

    You're not going to find any front wheel drive car that qualifies as a sports car, whether a coupe or sedan in my book. The laws of physics and engineering don't allow it, nor does real life experience.

    I find that the exterior look of the new Taurus is no worse, but no better, either, than many of its competitors (better than some, worse than a select few).

    The interior is decent, but why did Ford have to put that huge swath of faux carbon fiber on the passenger side dash, along with a cheapish looking 'Taurus' badge?

    At any rate, I'm now seeing the SE version of this showing up advertised at just over 25k, and the SEL version just over 27k.

    Mind you, this is while production AND deliveries are very low, because of an initial quality glitch on the production line.

    When production ramps up, and the cash for clunkers mess has faded from memory and the aftermath from markets, there should be some serious room for negotiation on these, especially the all goodied up versions.

    The 3.5 Liter Duratec does not do this car justice. It's far from silky, it's far from the competition, and the hanging transmission does it no favors, either.

    There are also very credible statements, from Ford fans themselves, that the 19" wheel version has some awfully harsh impacts, which is particularly galling since this has an important mission of being a stable and smooth highway cruiser (one rung up from the Fusion).

    I said the same thing about the Genesis; the ride quality doesn't cut the mustard in that car. I like the interior,the exterior is about the best we can expect in this era of blandness and copycat-ism, but the ride in the Genesis is way too busy, with way too many inputs inefficiently processed by the apparently flawed suspension at once.
  • poodog13poodog13 Member Posts: 320
    The Accord is now a full-size car.

    NO WAY!!! My mother just bought a new Accord, and there is no way that it is anything more than a mid-size. If it were a full size, she would have never bought it as she doesn't want a car that big. Just throwing out a statement doesn't make it true.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    there is no way that it is anything more than a mid-size.

    According to the EPA, an Accord with moonroof is a mid-size while the Accord without the moonroof is a full-size. Makes no sense but that's how the formula works.

    I don't think anyone thinks of the Accord as a full-size car though - it clearly competes with other mid-sized vehicles.
  • dodgeman07dodgeman07 Member Posts: 574
    there is no way that it is anything more than a mid-size.

    =============================================

    According to the EPA, the Accord has more passenger volume than the new Taurus:
    2009 Honda Accord
    Size Class: Large Cars
    Drive: Front-Wheel Drive
    Gas Guzzler: no
    Passenger Volume: 106 ft3 (4D)


    The new Taurus checks in at 102 ft3 of passenger volume.

    Of course you don't have to take my word or the EPA's, Edmund's says the same thing:
    Accord 1st - Taurus 2nd
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    The EPA also includes trunk space in its qualification, a large car starting at 120cu.ft. The Accord's is 14cu ft. Taurus has had the largest trunk of any passenger car in its previous iteration. I assume it still does?

    The Taurus is 203" long. The Accord is 194" long.
  • dodgeman07dodgeman07 Member Posts: 574
    The Accord's is 14cu ft. Taurus has had the largest trunk of any passenger car in its previous iteration. I assume it still does?

    ========================

    Yes - it is still true. The Taurus has a very large trunk @ 20 cu.ft.

    =======================

    I was talking with a friend of mine last night about the new Taurus and he didn't realize that Ford had renamed the "500" a Taurus and re-designed it for 2010. He was still envisioning the former Taurus as much of mainstream America does.

    image">
  • bp027bp027 Member Posts: 5
    I went to Gwinnett Place Ford today to look at the 2010 Taurus. Next to the standard factory sticker, on an SEL with leather, they had their own sticker that said "adjusted market value" $2500.(it was $5000 on the SHO which brought that up to close to $50000)According to my research on here, and other sites, the consensus is that the new Taurus is a little over priced as it is and now, by reverting back to the tactics that helped get dealers in trouble in the first place, all they do is drive away potential buyers like me. Times are bad for the auto industry and still, some dealers just don't get it.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Gwinnett Place Ford sucks in so many ways. They are not representative of the average Ford dealer. I do agree there are far too many bad dealers out there though. Unfortunately there is almost nothing that Ford can do because of state auto franchise laws.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    "adjusted market value" $2500.(it was $5000 on the SHO which brought that up to close to $50000)

    Insane: Why not just get a Genesis 4.6L for $10k less, in that case. Or an Acura RL, or Lexus GS350, or 535i, or MKS, or....

    Its a shame.
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    LOL.

    Isn't it great when you can tell Gwinnet to sit and spin, and just go buy a better car for 20k (or more) or less?

    What a bunch of morons.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    I agree with the poster(s) who think that $35K for a "Blue Oval" car may simply be too much...I believe akirby said to check out the car, not the symbol (forgive me is I misquote), but there still comes a point where many buyers, IMO, simply will NOT spend $35K with something that says Ford or Chevrolet on it...maybe that is truly stupid, but Ford and Chevy built their reputations in the last 50 years or so on being an economical, family type car...now, they price their cars (we'll forget about Gwinnett Place Ford, as being dumber than a rock) so that they run up against reputations of cars that have the IMAGE of being better...

    By the time you add on tax (almost $2,500 @ 7%), title, and extended warranty (which I do, so it would be part of the cost of MY car, maybe not yours) we are slowly approaching $40K for a Ford...

    I know they will sell some, and I do appreciate Ford trying to move upmarket, but I just agree with those who think that a simple Ford family sedan at $35-40K out the door just won't fly...credit Ford's own 50 year ad campaign of family sedans at reasonable prices (Galaxies, LTDs, Crown Vics, etc) at being the anchor around their own ankles now...and for Lincoln to top $50K, I am afraid to even go there, as I think that is even more absurd...

    But what do I know???...we will wait and see...
  • lilengineerboylilengineerboy Member Posts: 4,116
    I agree with the poster(s) who think that $35K for a "Blue Oval" car may simply be too much...I believe akirby said to check out the car, not the symbol (forgive me is I misquote), but there still comes a point where many buyers, IMO, simply will NOT spend $35K with something that says Ford or Chevrolet on it...maybe that is truly stupid, but Ford and Chevy built their reputations in the last 50 years or so on being an economical, family type car...now, they price their cars (we'll forget about Gwinnett Place Ford, as being dumber than a rock) so that they run up against reputations of cars that have the IMAGE of being better...

    So buy a Taurus SEL and not a limited production SHO...pricing is in line with the suggested prices for the 5 year old design Avalon. The whole comparing the top to the bottom is a silly argument. The people that are worried about paying too much for a high end vehicle from Ford or GM won't be getting that model anyway. They will be looking for the vinyl seats and hand crank windows.

    I know they will sell some, and I do appreciate Ford trying to move upmarket, but I just agree with those who think that a simple Ford family sedan at $35-40K out the door just won't fly

    I don't think Ford does either, or Toyota, or Honda, or really anyone but Volkswagen. This is why there is a Fusion, Camry, and Accord.
  • dodgeman07dodgeman07 Member Posts: 574
    So buy a Taurus SEL and not a limited production SHO...pricing is in line with the suggested prices for the 5 year old design Avalon...

    ================================================

    I agree the SEL without a lot of options is priced reasonably, but maybe due to production glitches, mostly Limiteds and SHOs are currently available in my area.

    An FWD SEL is well-equipped at $28K and doesn't need to be optioned up at all for most buyers. The Limiteds in my area are $33K-$37K and not worth the extra $$ to many buyers.

    Time will tell how successful Ford is with their strategy of taking the Taurus "up-market". Advertising has been minimal in the Midwest so the consumer still has the pre-2008 Taurus in mind. Not helpful when trying to change market segments.
  • dturrdturr Member Posts: 70
    If Ford has such faith in its product and pricing why are there no lease deals, why not copy GM and offer a money back deal. My personal view is that the depreciation on these cars will be massive.
    There is also a problem somewhere? why are there no cars at the dealers?
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    Most car companies got burned on subsidized leases so what you're seeing now is really the true cost of leasing based on expected used car values.

    Ford doesn't have to offer a 60 day money back guarantee like GM. And they're betting they don't have to offer huge cash incentives or subsidized leases to sell cars, even if they end up selling a few less than they would have otherwise. In the long run it will help depreciation and improve future profitability.

    Stock is low in general because of cash for clunkers and the fact that Ford cut back on production volumes earlier in the year. The 2010 Taurus is just now shipping so they haven't had time to build up dealer inventory.
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    Ford is going to see the biggest drop in YoY sales for the 4th Quarter of this year of any domestic automaker - and that's saying a lot.

    Their pricing (high), dealership inflexibility and the end of CFC are going to kneecap them.

    Wait. Watch. Learn.

    By the way, we are about to re-enter deep recession territory now that governments worldwide have to withdraw stimulus spending. It's simply not sustainable.

    Look out below.
  • bp027bp027 Member Posts: 5
    I'm thinking by November 2011 you will be able to pick up a 2010 Taurus Limited that stickered for $35000 for about 17 or 18 plus tax. Any bets?
  • dodgeman07dodgeman07 Member Posts: 574
    By the way, we are about to re-enter deep recession territory now that governments worldwide have to withdraw stimulus spending. It's simply not sustainable.

    =========================================

    This is off topic but the stimulus spending and easy money from the Fed are on-going and will be for some time to come. By next year at this time, your statement will be largely correct but for now it is not.

    ========================================

    I'm thinking by November 2011 you will be able to pick up a 2010 Taurus Limited that stickered for $35000 for about 17 or 18 plus tax. Any bets?

    ========================================

    That is a very safe bet. You're looking over 2 years out. I'm thinking a low mileage, $29K sticker, 2010 SEL will be available for $21K in Sept 2010. I'd be VERY interested in that vehicle at that price.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    It's real easy to make predictions that are 3, 6, 12 or 24 months out because nobody ever comes back to follow up on them.

    Ford was doing well before CFC. I see no reason to think that will change in 4th Quarter. In fact Ford increased production volume for the last half of the year based on first quarter performance (and that was before CFC).
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    I predict that a 2 year old 2010 Taurus that sold for $29,000 will be selling used for $28,000.

    See how easy that is?
  • dodgeman07dodgeman07 Member Posts: 574
    It's real easy to make predictions that are 3, 6, 12 or 24 months out because nobody ever comes back to follow up on them.

    ==============================================

    I can follow up on them right now. Go to edmunds.com Used Cars, enter a 2008 or 2009 Taurus with the trim, options and mileage desired. Hit enter.

    You now know what the value of this car will be in 12 or 24 months. I've been researching cars this way (using NADA before computers) for over 30 years now.

    It is a very accurate method of projecting "Future Market Value".
  • euphoniumeuphonium Member Posts: 3,425
    I've been researching cars this way (using NADA before computers) for over 30 years now.

    Great. Now what car have you finally decided to buy? ;)
  • bruneau1bruneau1 Member Posts: 468
    Such predictions are usually pretty silly. Anyway, if all that matters is resale value or future prices, than we should just forget the whole thing and buy Toyotas and Hondas instead of something we want and like.
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    And I bet 2 years ago if you predicted the resale value of a large SUV it would have been a LOT higher than it actually was last year at this time.

    This is not the same Taurus - it's a much better car all the way around. Ford's reputation has greatly improved the last 2 years and the current management regime has shown that it's not going to repeat the mistakes of the last decade (overproduction, poor quality, big incentives).

    I'm not saying it will be #1 in resale value but to assume it will be just as bad as in the past is simply ignoring the changes that have taken place recently.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    Maybe my memory of the last 50 years is faulty, but aside from Corvette, how many other Big 3, UAW-made cars, DIDN'T depreciate at least 30-50% (a broad range, I realize) within 2 years, and many of them within one year???

    I appreciate your optimism, but you seem to be basing your opinion on the "fact" that the new Taurus is "well designed and better made", which BTW, I don't dispute...but will a (FINALLY) well made Big 3 car really slow its depreciation???...obviously, for the truth we must wait and see, but when you have a 40-plus year track record of "value dropping like a rock", to see this one as any different takes a truckload of faith, which, when considering Big 3 products, I simply do not have...

    Within 2 years, and probably within 1 year, a $32K Taurus will be offered a trade-in value of $16-18K, and will retail for a few grand more, if you're lucky...

    OTOH, I do hope that YOU are correct...
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    The average depreciation rate for ANY car at the END of 2 years is about 48% - let's just call it half.

    Why would a new Ford product fare significantly better in a worsening economy?

    And unlike what you're saying, the "new" Taurus has the exact same engine, drivetrain and platform/chassis as the "old" Taurus. The basically restyled the sheet metal, made changes to the interior, and added a turbocharger option (for a lot more money of course).
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    It has totally new sheetmetal and a totally new interior plus tons of new features including massaging seats, adaptive cruise control, BLIS and a manumatic with paddles. Yes, it has the same drivetrain if you don't count the 365 hp SHO.

    Put the old Taurus and new Taurus side by side and see whether people think it's new or not. Geez.........
  • akirbyakirby Member Posts: 8,062
    you seem to be basing your opinion on the "fact" that the new Taurus is "well designed and better made", which BTW, I don't dispute...but will a (FINALLY) well made Big 3 car really slow its depreciation???...obviously, for the truth we must wait and see, but when you have a 40-plus year track record of "value dropping like a rock", to see this one as any different takes a truckload of faith, which, when considering Big 3 products, I simply do not have...

    But what caused these vehicles to have horrible depreciation?

    Poor designs - they made cars that simply weren't desirable and couldn't compete with the imports

    Poor reliability

    Overproduction - they thought it was better to keep the factories running even if there was no retail market for the vehicles

    Rental fleet dumping - caused by overproduction. Too many rentals caused a glut of young high mileage cars on the used market

    Huge rebates - also a result of overproduction. When you build more cars than people want to buy that's the only way to get rid of them.

    The reason I am optimistic is that Ford has addressed all of these problems over the last 2 years. They're cutting production instead of overproducing, dumping into rental fleets and putting huge incentives on the hood. Reliability is at an all-time high and equal to Toyota and Honda in most cases. And the designs are finally competitive.

    That said, the full sized car market is not exactly growing so who knows what will really happen but I think Ford and the Taurus are in a much better position than they've ever been.
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    Since we're playing - I' m in. I'll guess a Taurus listed at $29K will go out the door new this spring at a little under $24-25K. That's around 8% off sticker and another $2K or so in incentives, etc. There might also be some special option bundling to lower it the equivalent of another $500 or so if its sales are slow. I think a used one will run a $1,000 to $1500 more than the current model used Taurus/500 because its a much nicer car. The $32K+ models will have greater hits though because thats up into near luxury and CUV territory. If gas goes back up around $4 then all bets are off because large cars will join trucks in taking big hits.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    I think you have great insight as to how things may have changed...that said, to expect depreciation of a car, esp a Big 3 car, despite your insightful analysis, to change the pattern of almost half a century of experience is, IMO, beyond wishful thinking...

    This car isn't THAT different from many of the cars of the last decades to imply that the world will suddenly see it any differently except that it is another product made by Ford, no more, no less...

    Your optimism is appreciated, and certainly a breath of fresh air, but the Taurus, IMO, will not change anything for Ford on the depreciation "schedule"...like virtually all Big 3 cars before it, its value will drop like a stone, greatly in the first year, and probably by 50% in its second year...hard to change a reputation of 50 years with one car that is, hopefully, made extremely well...
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