Ford Collision Truckload Program Additions & Steel the Sale Updates

DEARBORN, Mich., May 1, 2009 - Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD) has updated the offerings on each of its two competitive parts initiatives - the Collision Parts Truckload Program and the "Steel the Sale" program.

Thirty-seven new parts - all with significant list-price reductions - are now available on Ford's popular Truckload program, including wheels, radiators, exterior lighting, mirrors, steel bumpers, isolators, fascias, one valance, a bracket and a grill opening reinforcement.

"Steel the Sale," which targets Ford's most competitive sheet metal parts - hoods, fenders and tailgates - has seen the list price of its 54 program parts trimmed by an average of 3.6 percent, allowing dealers to more effectively compete with the imitation crash parts in the market. It's the second price reduction on those parts in the last 10 months. Ford launched the program in July 2008, by cutting the list prices to within 10 percent of average aftermarket list.

"Both programs offer repairers and insurers the ability to provide our customers - Ford vehicle owners - with the genuine parts needed for a complete and safe repair at a competitive price," said George Gilbert, manager of both FCSD part programs.

To achieve its competitiveness in the market, the Ford Truckload program utilizes reduced packaging costs, in combination with discounted list prices, and passes the savings on to collision repair shops that purchase the parts from participating Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers. It now includes more than 390 high-volume collision parts covering more than a dozen party types.

The 37 new parts added to the Truckload program, and the respective average list-price reductions include: one valance (- 50.2 percent); two tail lamps (-39.7 percent); three wheels (-38.4 percent); six radiators (-30.6 percent); three steel bumpers (- 29.1 percent); a grille opening reinforcement (-28.4 percent); two isolators and a bracket (25.9 percent); eight fascias (- 23.8 percent); six mirrors (-16.8 percent) and four headlamps (-13.1 percent).