Ford's aluminum-bodied 2015 F-150 pickup has had lots of folks talking about the implications—for Ford, for customers, and costs to both parties—of switching from the industry norm of all-steel construction. But if you thought regular folks were curious, it's nothing compared to Ford's dealers, who likely have more questions than an episode of Jeopardy. To help assuage these fears, the Detroit Free Press is reporting that at this year's National Automobile Dealers Association meeting, none other than VP of marketing Jim Farley was on hand to assure dealers the F-150's aluminum construction won't pose a threat to sales. Farley also revealed that Ford will pitch in for up to 20 percent of the cost to upgrade dealerships' body shops to handle aluminum repairs.
We previously outlined the potential cost increases F-150 buyers could face when it comes to repairing or insuring the 2015 model, and in that story we noted Ford is looking to certify 750 of its dealerships with body shops to handle aluminum repairs. Farley told dealers that the automaker will float up to 20 percent of this cost—expected to be in the $30,000–$50,000 range per dealership—for new equipment, training, and more. That kind of investment shows Ford is serious about setting folks' minds at ease, and it sounds like the dealers the Free Press spoke with were eager to cough up the dough to convert their facilities. After all, the F-150 is big business, and dealers have a pretty big stake in keeping business good.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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