What is going to happen to Ford and most importantly to our Expeditions? If gas prices stay the way they are and the demand shifts from SUV’s to small cars we could be in real trouble.

From the New York Times:
"Ford has taken decisive action to respond to this accelerating shift in customer demand away from large trucks and S.U.V.’s to smaller cars and crossovers, and we will continue to act swiftly moving forward.


Any thoughts on the Expeditions future????

 

No matter what gas prices reach, there will be demand for a large vehicle that can hold 8-9 passengers.

 

yes, people are only worried as prices have not stabilized. at some point in time they will level out and or come down to the 3.00 to 3.25 a gal range and the demand will level out and then go back up for trucks and SUVs. The slow down is a knee jerk reaction as the price of fuel climbs. Along with fuel prices leveling out, you'll see more fuel efficient SUVs and drivetrains. I'd expect to see a expedition getting 22+ mpg in a diesel w/ the same or better performance. But this is just my .02 cents.

 

I heard people say similar things about 3.5 years ago or so when gas hit over 2.00. They said it would steady out in the low 2s/gal. Now look at it, we are happy when we can find 3.80. I wouldn't count on the large SUVs being around much longer, first the excursion (replaced by the not as large Exp EL) and now who knows what next. We are one of the few remaining countries running around in mammoth SUVs, and I love my truck, but most of america does not feel the same way. Some people will still want something to pull their boats and whatnot, but boats will become less popular as well, I sold mine when gas hit 2.00/gal, I couldn't afford to burn 70 gallons on a weekend fishing trip. Its gonna be a downward spiral, and while some of us will budget appropriately or make sacrifices to keep our tanks, I believe the industry as a whole will change and even more crossovers and small SUCs (sport utility cars) will hit the street.

 

My prediction is the larger truck based SUV will survive in smaller numbers for the 8 passenger &/or towing jobs.

The Explorer size will go crossover, which is already in the hopper at Ford and on the street elsewhere. My guess again, smaller numbers.

If Ford can figure out how to build the right number and still make profit, (along with everything else that has to fall in place--style & performance etc) then the Expedition should survive.

 

One thing is for sure.. It marks the death of the mid-size SUV.. When I look over at an Explorer or Grand Cherokee I think to myself.. That guy is burning almost as much if not the same amount of gas but his truck is much smaller. It only makes sense to go big.. If you can barely afford the mid-size you better stick to the focus wagon. One Ford vehicle that will certainly die an ugly death is the Explorer Sport Trac.. Limited interior room, limited cargo room, and thirsty for gas are not a good combination.

-R.

 

As long as I have to pull my camper I'll have an Expedition, or something in this size and power range. I'm not thrilled with the fuel economy (or is that an oxymoron? ) but she pulls very well.



-- Chuck

 

Nice setup, but if gas keeps going, the days of travel trailer camping will be numbered as well, it becomes cheaper to just stay at a hotel or something...that might come in to play at the 6 or 7 dollar mark, depending how far you are driving. Even now for my parents to drive from dayton, OH to charleston, SC in their expedition is pushing close to flying, saves time, and less than double the cost in gas/maintenance.

 

If gas goes to $6-$7 it will not be cheap to stay at a hotel either.. Everything will have gone up along with gas..

 

I believe its called inflation...but I can't see how it would be cost effective to pay a couple hundred bucks a month for TT payment, and then the huge gas bill, unless you travel all the time. So until incomes come up to match the inflation cost of living, which is unfortunate, we will undoubtedly have to change our lifestyles, which sucks, cause I really enjoy mine. I will have to fight tooth and nail to never get stationed in San Diego again. I certainly couldn't afford my expy there. It would become a driveway decoration.

 

I don't believe the full-size SUV market will ever completely dry up. For example, I have three boys (and a PIA wife) and I am finding that our minivan is becoming too small for our family. We NEED something larger than a minivan, that leaves me with either a full-size SUV or Crew Cab Pick-up Truck.

We recently sold our '98 Explorer for the same reason, it was just too small for us - and we decided we'd have to sell our third vehicle to help pay for the new SUV. So, we'll be down to the Fusion and eventually the full-size SUV. I'll be going from four vehicles to two and the savings in insurance cost will help pay for the fuel and payment.

There are always going to be people who need or want large vehicles regardless of gas prices and for the next 15-20 years, I will be one of them. If gas shoots to $10 a gallon, I will still need the large SUV.

 

Last I looked, the interior capacity of a larger minivan was greater than that in an Expedition. Unless you carry people in the bed, a Crew Cab pickup ain't gonna get you much.

My own solution (for the past 22 years) has been a full-size van...there is NOTHING that has as much interior space as my E150. But, given gas prices (headed upward to $150 per barrel), there will be an excellent selection of used, low-mileage Expeditions and vehicles like that for a lot of years to come. My van, which I had planned to use as a daily driver, is now parked most of the time, unless we need the "family motorhome" feature for long trips or carrying Big Stuff.

George

 

George,

When the 3rd row is upright in my minivan (as it is nearly all the time), there is a lack of cargo space. The Expy EL has more cargo space than my mini-van does.

A full-size van is not a bad option except for the seating - one bench is not going to cut it with three kids in car seats/booster seats.

Eric

 

Big vans have a lot of seating options, and you can move around in them easily...the basic Club Wagons have two benches behind the front row and tons of room behind the rear bench. And you can get recent used ones REALLY cheap.

I still remember the 70 mph diaper changes that my wife was able to do when my son (now 20) was an infant. You can't argue with 250 cubic feet of space in a big van...

George

 

i'm all for change, but it isn't done for the right reasons. it's not for steps to save the environment, it is about money. it's like saying "americans drive too much and depend too much on their cars". in that mindset you could say "people eat too much food, bread should be 6 dollars a loaf, or a 6 pack of coke should be 15 dollars". not alot of logic. some people need bigger vehicles, and then there are some that have super huge suv's just to show their high placement in society, and have never had more than 3 people in a 9 seat vehicle. i mean, what is going to happen to "soccer moms"? there will be less after school sports programs.