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Ford Brand Ford Luxury Brands Mazda
Focus: 9,182 (-11.3%) Milan: 1,574 (-5%) Mazda3: 6,227 (+3.3%)
Fusion: 10,834 (+9%) MKZ 1,536 (-2.7%) Mazda6: 3,484 (-5.7%)
Escape: 8,692 (-5.1%) Mariner: 1,335 (-32%) CX-7: 1,561 (-13.8%)
Edge: 4,477 (-32.5%) MKX 1,514 (-13.6%) CX-9: 1,390 (-34.1%)
19 Comments on “September Sales Snapshot: If Mazdas Were Mercurys…...”
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I agree, Mercury’s got to go and Mazda would make an outstanding replacement in the hierarchy.
But to my Baby Boomer/Gex X ears (born on the cusp), somehow “your local Lincoln-Mazda dealer” just doesn’t have the same ring to it. So the idea of replacing Mercury with Mazda at L-M dealers (now mostly F-L-M dealers) makes me cringe, because I have visions of Town Car-hawking Bubbas trying to sell MX-5 Miatas, RX-7s and Mazdaspeed products: “That lil’ rig’ll suit the kids or the little lady fine, but you needs you one of ’em big rigs over younder…they don’ ride as rough as a buckboard!”
No, I’d almost rather see Mazda dealers morph into dealers of the premium goods for Ford, and for Lincolns to evolve into competent driving machines at a price point just south of Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, et al.
BuzzDog, do you remember when Opels were sold at Buick dealers? Your sure described the picture! I was shopping compact cars in 1974, and went to look at Opel 1900s/Mantas. I really liked the 1900 wagon and asked whether the the instrument cluster could be swapped for the coupe version, which included a tach, and I still remember the salesdude’s response. “Well, maybe if you know somebody who’s mechanically inclined, they could do it for you, but we wouldn’t be able to do that here.” Shopping a Ford Capri at the L-M dealer wasn’t any better.
Selling Mazdas at Ford dealers would alienate Mazda customers and at best steal business from Ford. It is a classic loose-loose scenario and the idea is a non-starter. Besides, Ford sold off much of its ownership stake in Mazda.
John Horner: “Selling Mazdas at Ford dealers would alienate Mazda customers and at best steal business from Ford.”
My local FoMoCo dealership sells Ford, Mercury, Lincoln and Mazda from two adjoining buildings. I like having all brands in one spot, and it seems to me that’s a synergistic way of presenting all the brands. I like having a salesman who can show me Fords, Mercuries and Mazdas.
I’m unsure what point Edward’s making. The ups and downs of sales statistics mostly stem from the models’ characteristics and/or post-C4C inventory shortages. Edge is overpriced for the interior trim. MKX is no match against the Lexus RX. All Mercury models suffer from invisibility in the marketplace. Mazda goofed in allowing some guy with purple spiked hair and multiple facial piercings to design the new 6. The CX-7 is too “dustbuster-ish”, lacks a six-cylinder engine, has too much NVH, and is priced a little high.
Good to see the Mazda 3 racknig up healthy sales…there’s a car that deserves to sell.
We own a 2005 Mazda 3 and 2007 Mazda 6 and always will have Mazda on our list of brands to consider.
But if they get too close to Ford they are off my shortlist. the Ford brand and Mazda have nothing in common. Mercury and Lincoln are losers… I won’t step into a Ford dealership to purchase a premium car (and i consider Mazda premium, just compare the Mazda 3 to Corolla and Civic).
Maybe there is no rationale,… but brand loyalty and purchasing decision are not rationale. People who are rational buy a corolla or so….
While I think Mazdas could easily coexist with Fords and Lincolns with the same sales staff and showroom, I don’t know if it is a good idea in the long run. Most L-M dealers are being merged with Ford dealers, and while the Mazda line would play nicely against the Lincoln line, there are too many areas of competition with Ford.
The 3 vs the Focus, 6 vs the Fusion, Edge and Flex vs CX-7 and CX-9, etc, all it would so is hurt sales for all models involved. Although, my dealership used to have Mazda, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury all basically in the same building before a new one was built and Mazda was moved off location into it. While it was handy to have some switch cars available, I was very surprised how few people cross shopped the two brands even though they were basically located in the same place.
50Merc – I’m with you that the Edge needs an interior refresh soon, but the MKX is very competitive with the RX as far as the product goes. For less than the price of a loaded up RX you can get a loaded MKX with a bigger moonroof, a better nav system, and air conditioned seats. Lexus does have a heads up display and self-parking that aren’t availible on the MKX yet, but other than that, feature for feature, the vehicles are nearly identical. The Lexus makes 10 more hp, but the Lincoln runs on regular gas, vs premium in the Lexus. Yeah, the RX sells a lot more units, but if more people buying them would stop at a Lincoln dealer first and drive an MKX, Ford could steal a lot of Lexus sales.
The CX-7 doesn’t need a V6, the turbo 4 is more than peppy enough for it. I’m surprised CX-7 and CX-9 sales are so low, they are both great vehicles for the price.
NulloModo :
October 4th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Yeah, the RX sells a lot more units, but if more people buying them would stop at a Lincoln dealer first and drive an MKX, Ford could steal a lot of Lexus sales.
Actually, I’d say not…frankly, I don’t think Lincoln cars are bad, but the Lincoln dealers I’ve shopped here in Denver hzve been totally unimpressive from every possible standpoint – old, dingy facilities, with old-school salespeople who knew nothing about the cars. I test drove an MKS at one dealership who had no idea how to work the Sync system – and this guy had been there for years.
Just not excusable.
I think Lincoln has some MAJOR work to do in this regard before they can really compete with the big luxury dogs.
I was a little surprised with the Mariner’s numbers, its the only Mercury I actually find more attractive than its Ford counterpart (not counting Jill Wagner vs. Mike Rowe). Also, no, Mazda does not need to become Ford’s own personal Pontiac, nothing good would come from that for either brand. Mercury just needs to go, plain and simple, no replacement necessary.
Mercury will be going as soon as almost every Lincoln dealer has found a home within a Ford store. I agree with you that the Mariner is better looking than the Escape, I’d say the sales numbers differ mainly because there are a lot more Ford dealerships than Lincoln-Mercury dealerships.
I do think that Ford should buy out Mazda completely as soon as it has the cash available, but should keep it separate as far as control of the company goes. Both Ford and Mazda have benefited greatly from the platform sharing, Mazda has had someone willing to pay for R&D, and Ford has gotten some of the best handling cars in the class.
FreedMike –
While I’ll agree that the dealer experience does play into the success of a car, it’s not fair to discount a model just because you went to a bad dealer for that brand. There are good and bad salespeople to be found working for any manufacturer’s dealerships.
I can’t believe that many blind people bought the 3.
I’m surprised CX-7 and CX-9 sales are so low, they are both great vehicles for the price.
A nearby no-haggle dealer shows the CX-9 on their website at $7,000 – 8,000 off MSRP. Too bad about the blasted third row seat. Take out the 3rd row and redistribute the space to the 1st and 2nd row passengers and I’d seriously consider buying one. As is, its too much of a compromise.
Mazda 3…the butterface of cars. Seriously, what is Mazda thinking with that goofy frikkin’ grin on their cars? Ugh.
I’m sorry, but after owning two Mazda products (Mazda 6 and RX-8), I don’t see why it would be such a bad idea to sell Mazdas along side Ford or Lincoln products. Their dealer network is marginal at best. Having said that, I’d rather have Mazda around instead of Mercury.
The 2011 Edge and MKX will bow soon. Which is as good a time if ever as they are starting to show their age.
I’m scratching my head wondering why this question is being asked. Ford just sold a substantial portion of its interest in Mazda and Mazda no longer appears on Ford’s main web page so it no longer is considered a part of the “Ford family of fine cars”.
I’ve owned Ford’s almost exclusively for about twenty years but also happen to own a Mazda Miata. I love the Miata and have a great deal of respect for Mazda in general, but I don’t think that replacing Mercury with Mazda would be a good fit for either Ford or Mazda.
I’m scratching my head wondering why this question is being asked. Ford just sold a substantial portion of its interest in Mazda and Mazda no longer appears on Ford’s main web page so it no longer is considered a part of the “Ford family of fine cars”.
Yep.
Next question: If Mitsubishis were Plymouths…
I’m scratching my head wondering why this question is being asked. Ford just sold a substantial portion of its interest in Mazda and Mazda no longer appears on Ford’s main web page so it no longer is considered a part of the “Ford family of fine cars”.
Other than to raise much needed cash, what was the reasoning behind this move? I’ve never understood this.
In my dream world, Mazda and Volvo would tie the knot (or at least Mazda buy a significant stake) and in exchange bring Ford and Mazda even closer together.
There are so many Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Volvo dealers around. And now some of them are FLM Volvo Mazda. Kill the right M, invest in Lincoln, share platforms and engine tech with Mazda Volvo…
… but that does ignore reality for the moment, which takes me back to: what is the point of this post?
One thing I will note is that Mariner had a particularly rough month for a very particular reason: there were less than 1,000 of them on dealer lots heading into the month of September. But in general, you can never expect a gussied-up clone sold at 1/8th as many dealers to have anywhere near the sales of its sibling. Which is why Mercury must die.
MKX and Edge job1 dates are in May – some new sheet metal, all new interiors, upgraded engines, etc.
Maybe I’m missing something here, but looking at those numbers, Ford ought to just slip Mercury some pink-death and keep Mazda at arm’s length with a long pole. Sure, Mercury’s numbers are depressing, but Mazda’s are pretty suckified too…with the exception of the new Mazda3 (which isn’t exactly burning it up on the hotness scale). Other than that model, what would Mazda bring to a Ford dealership? Slow selling, bloated Mazda6’s…which would cannibalize the Quattro Schick? And Mazda CUVs/SUVs/MomVans aren’t exactly tearing up the scene either, so how does that help Ford when they can’t even move their own craptacular offerings?
No, Ford needs to tamper with Jill Wagner’s brakes, sell Volvo to a Russian gangster and tell the “Children of the Corn/Zoom-Zoom” kid to stay off the lot. In other words, Ford needs to start being a smaller, smarter Ford. But that ain’t gonna happen, right?