New Chevy Impala and Ford F-150 Win Fleet Segment Awards

What is Good for Fleet May Not Always Be Good for Consumers

In case you hadnt heard, the all-new 2006 Chevrolet Impala and carryover 2006 Ford F-150 pickup were voted Fleet Car and Fleet Truck of the Year by fleet management professionals from U.S. commercial and public sector fleets in an annual industry competition sponsored by Automotive Fleet and Business Fleet magazines, January 7.

Fleet sales, which represent purchases by business firms and government organizations that keep large vehicle pools, as well as vehicle rental companies, make up more than 17 percent of American registrations.

The Impala was selected from among 53 domestic- and import-brand vehicles, and chosen number one because of “passenger comfort, fuel economy, cargo room, safety, performance, and price.”

The F-150 was chosen over 25 entries thanks to its “ruggedness, durability, performance, and dependability”, said a representative from the magazines.

Of course, such attributes should make the two vehicles solid choices for personal use too, a point General Motors and Ford Motor Company would both like consumers to make note of, but while those who keep their cars for a long period of time might enjoy excellent service, those who expect to trade up within the three to four year average may not experience the best value from such a vehicle.

For instance, due to fleet popularity being a negative with consumers those same automakers have come under fire for relying too heavily on fleet sales, and have therefore been clear in pointing out that many new models wouldnt be pushed into fleet use. Ford was particularly avid about this point when introducing its full-size Five Hundred sedan and seven-occupant Freestyle CUV, both of which have enjoyed a much larger percentage of retail buyers than fleet.

Why should it matter? Cars that are popular with fleet buyers often experience dramatically lower resale values after large numbers are dumped onto the used market, which can cost individual consumers looking to sell their vehicles more in depreciation over the long haul than they would have to pay for a car not popular with fleet buyers that initially may have started out higher in price.

Lease companies are aware of such problems, and therefore a $20,000 car that is popular with fleet buyers might cost you more in monthly payments than a $25,000 car that isnt often purchased by fleets, the latter featuring a higher residual value percentage and therefore a lower monthly cost - something to consider when leasing.

Those who drive Chevrolet Impalas have also complained that the flow of traffic seems slower when in the car than when driving something different (other than a Ford Crown Victoria), most likely the result of surrounding drivers mistaking Impalas for plain-clothes police cruisers - the vehicle is extremely popular for law enforcement. There are no such problems expressed by Ford F-150 buyers.