2007 Sport Trac not moving at local Dealerships

[P M]

I too have been dissappointed in the level of knowledge on the part of dealerships. However, I don't think it is necessarily Ford's fault. Here's why I say that. I was at a dealer back when the '07s were just hitting the lots and asked for a brochure, he couldn't find them, but he had a magazine produced by Ford for the dealerships called Frontline. It was a December 2005 issue and it had many pages of information on the '07 ST. Basically just about everything you would want to know about the ST (and other Ford vehicles). It even gives them a two minute sales pitch highlighting the features and changes to the ST. It's actually a pretty good document. That showed me that Ford has provided the information. The magazine also shows how dealers can get a variety of other books, edocuments, downloads for Palms, etc, all detailing new car features. However, it is still up to a salesman to learn it, and like other professions, some will take it all in, others, not so. In fairness, it did not address the rear window or any job 2 changes. Maybe a more recent version has, or will.

 

[Gary L]

Gas price is on the rise and most people are staying away from the SUV.The prediction is that gas price could be $4.00 by next spring:angry:

 

[Deleted deleted]

PRM: You're surprised at the lack of knowledge at the dealer level? I've yet to meet a salesman who knew the vehicles as well as me armed with a computer.

 

[P M]

Surprised no, dissappointed, yes. The only surprise was that Ford had provided the info and they still were not particularly knowledgeable. It appeard to me in this case that Ford has provided the info, it's up to the salesmen to learn it. You can lead a horse to water, ....

 

[Deleted deleted]

Yeah most salesmen are ready to point out the really 'cool' features like cupholders and equalizer settings on radios! lol



I had one try to tell me all Kia Sportages had 6 cylinder engines. I popped the hood on a 4 cylinder Sportage, told the salesman to count the spark plug wires. He shutup then.

 

[Paul Maurer 2]

My opinion on slow sales:

1. Looks too much like the 1st generation model.

2. No promotional ads- they filmed the new Ford truck commercial here on the Seven Mile Bridge as I was driving by- strained my neck looking for a new ST- didn't see one and I don't think its in the commercial.

3. General malaise about the price of gas, rising interest rates and cooling of the real estate market.

4. No yellow or other striking, bold color. Guess what color is selling like mad on the Toyota FJ?

 

[R 2]

The Sport Trac is a dark launch, primarily because of budget constraints. Focus is on advertising only a few vehicles - F-series, Escape, Fusion and Edge later in the year.

 

[Jeff Bater]

My two cents are the price of gas and Ford's lack of improving MPG across the board. Because regulations are based on fleet average and if they have one can that gets 34+ MPG, it skews the average and they can continue producing the lackluster models.



I have mine on order, but everyday as I see the price of gas increasing I am continuing to evaluate my choice. I LOVE the new '07 Limited that I ordered, but since the policy at the dealer where I ordered does not hold you to it if when it comes in you don't want it (no deposit needed at time of order), I am not locked in.



The knowledge is out there to not produce any vehicle that gets under 20 MPG, but still the research and demand has not gone there. Maybe the high gas prices will force the issue that is long overdue.

 

[MARVIN McINTYRE 2]

Yeah, I'm back again, I just had to say......



Hmm.... I wonder what a full page ad for the 07 Sport Trac would run? You would think that they could have afforded at least one ad in the 10 major meto areas just before it was launched this past February! How many have you seen on the showroom floors? I have yet to see one sitting inside of any dealership! Maybe it costs too much to put one inside though, not enough fuel to drive it into the showroom! Seems the ST is like a dog that looks good but the owner wants to keep him hid outside in the back of the yard so that he won't be seen.

:lol::lol::angry:

 

[Denise Hayes 2]

One of our dealers here had 6 on the lot and they all sold in a week

 

[nancy parker]

Yeah - when I picked mine up, the dealer only had 3 left (previous week we saw 8) and everyone was all over the one in the showroom - it was by far the most popular vehicle inside.

 

[R 2]

Re: ads, just doing focused marketing as well, i.e. mailers to website respondee's, etc.



Nancy,

Why did you turn in your Escape Hybrid for a ST???

 

[nancy parker]

I turned it in as a Manufacturer Buyback (Lemon). It was in the shop more than I was at work (and I work 5 days a week). It kept powering itself down without warning (once in front of a city bus, once as I was pulling into traffic, several times when I was hours from home.....it was a deathtrap). Ford wouldn't just give me my money back - my only options were to keep the deathtrap or pick another Ford vehicle with the same MSRP - which narrowed it down to another Escape Hybrid (which I was not daring enough to try again), a Freestyle, an Explorer and a Sport Trac. I didn't like the Freestyle (hated the looks, felt cheap, noisy and was underpowered). The Explorer was just another big SUV and didn't look as good as the Sport Trac (IMO). The Sport Trac drove like a dream, had great looks, felt rock solid, and had so much to offer. I only had 30 minutes after the test drives to make up my mind - so I chose the Sport Trac. I don't regret my decision for one minute. Of the choices I had - it was by far the best.



If I actually could use the Sport Trac to it's potential - I would keep it. But all I do is go to work and go grocery shopping - so it just doesn't make sense for me to keep it. It's WAY more truck than I need. I will never even use the bed or towing capacity. Like I said earlier, if my husband didn't have his F350 - he would take it (he loves it - but he already sunk a ton of money into customizing his F350 Lariat LE DRW). I hate for him to sell his baby - but we can't keep both trucks.

 

[nancy parker]

sorry - duplicate post

 

[Johnny O]

Price of gas, plus Ford is losing a lot of money right now so not a lot of point advertising a vehicle that's hard on gas. There is a small Ford dealer down the street from my office that's had the same bunch of Rangers and Explorers on the lot all year.