A paucity of hot product, and an unintentional buyer boycott has claimed the last Mercury-only dealership. Dealerships trading singularly in Mercury products were always few and far between; the brand was usually paired with Lincoln, but Community Motor Company in Canonsburg, PA has sold only new Mercurys for 57 years. The small family run dealership will continue to sell used vehicles, which have seen the franchise through even as yearly sales of new Mercurys have dropped to one third of their 1989 high point of 300 cars. The only salesperson, Joe Mastrangioli Jr., didn't feel any pressure from the Blue Oval to hang it up, but Ford does need to trim its retail network. Elevated age, health concerns, as well as a tough sales climate have made it feel like the right time for Community Motor to bow out. Mercury appears to be gasping for breath like a porgy washed ashore. They are nice enough cars; the Milan is handsome and nicely trimmed, the Sable got a more distinctive face this year, and the Mountaineer is what every Explorer should be. Initial quality is better than most, according to JD Power, and the brand knocked it out of the park on Power's 2007 Dependability ratings, too. Despite that, nobody seems to be paying any attention to Mercury (sales are down 6.7% through November). It could be that the brand has nothing unique to offer other than tarted up Fords. The fleet-only status of the Crown Victoria makes the Mercury store the only place to get the Panther platform without the Town Car drag, but the Grand Marquis long ago had its day in the sun. Every time we lament the fortunes of Mercury like this, we get an email from Ford letting us know it has product in the pipeline for its Roman god of Commerce and Speed (how ironic is that?). We'll have just have to wait and see.
[Source: Auto News - sub req., Photo: Larry Rippell]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Esprit bird @ Dec 18th 2007 10:46AM
Ford dosent want the competition for its Fusion.
Dan Roth @ Dec 18th 2007 11:58AM
Actually, I'm pretty sure Ford's happy they have a Mercury model to absorb some of the production capacity and keep the plants running, versus laying off and shuttering.
bruce @ Dec 22nd 2007 11:25PM
If Mercury had a car as beautiful as Jill Wagner, who advertises your cars you cound not build them fast enough
Gene @ Dec 18th 2007 10:48AM
That seems kinda sad, kind of like the end of an era. Ah well... I hope that family still does okay. Ford, well, they'll do what they like (U.S. vs. EU Focus anyone?).
GR
Steelers Fan @ Dec 18th 2007 10:58AM
My Father bought a new car almost every two years at Community Motors from 1959 until he passed away in '92. This is officially the end of the era of the small Mom & Pop car dealer that sold himself more than the brand! Ironically this dealership survived long after the Mercury brand began to erode. This small(even by the standards of the 50's a small lot with a three car showroom )dealership south of Pittsburgh since the early 70's had stiff competition from a full line, modern Lincoln-Mercury Dealership and a Ford dealership about 7 miles away with really easy access from the highway. This is a real testament to the kind of businessman that Joe Mastrangioli is. I remember as a small kid when we were going to see Joe I knew that we were getting a new car. As I remember Joe was the only salesman back then as well. Too bad this kind of dealership experience is going the way of other cherished bits of Americana. I remember a few times that my father stopped at the big dealership on the way to see Joe and the deal would never come close to the deal that Joe would give my Dad. The mega dealer has ruined this experience where you know the car guy and the car guy knows you and your family. Car buying was really an enjoyable experience where true customer service was as valued as the vehicle and Joe is the end of this era. Unfortunately we only have car dealers that make you think that they care about you! Good luck to Joe, truly a great car dealer and an even better person.
Bryan @ Dec 18th 2007 11:08AM
I'd agree and somewhat disagree. Megadealers have ruined the experience in a way. Now you have dealers that have 20+ salespeople with a lot of turnover its hard to find someone that is Nice and gets to know you and will always be out there. But there's always a select few at every dealer. You just need to find that salesperson. That's where networking comes into play. "You should check out this salesperson, he's been great to me over the years...not like those other guys"
Jim in Tampa @ Dec 18th 2007 11:17AM
Thanks for the story, Steelers Fan. I grew up in a small town and I remember the neighbors and friends who owned or worked at the Ford and Chevy dealerships. Buying a new car often started with a conversation at church about what was in stock. And then the next day, the salesman would show up at the house with a car to show Mom and Dad. A we usually kept the car overnight to try it out.
And if a friend who worked at the competing dealership found out we bought a car from the other one, we'd usually get the call saying "Why didn't you didn't call me?"
How did I buy my most recent car? Through the internet with a salesperson at a mega-dealer that I didn't meet until the deal was done.
John Jenny @ Dec 23rd 2007 1:15AM
Thanks "Steelers Fan" for a cogent comment which included lots of feeling which many folks understand and can relate to. The worst part of the common experience at the large dealerships is the incredible ignorance of the sales personnel concerning the product they are trying to sell. Its amazing how many times I have shown interest in a product and visited a dealership to clear up incidental concerns or confusion only to find the sales person far less knowledgeable than myself about his product! And, to add insult when I arrive at the dealership, the sales people are lounging around outside or reading a newspaper. Then my presumably simple question - is the spare full size or compact, or how do you fold the rear seat - is met with confusion and fumbling. One guy actually explained to me that the "FWD" on the sticker meant the car was four wheel drive. When I asked then what does "AWD" mean he stated it meant always wheel drive. Discouraging.
TriShield @ Dec 18th 2007 11:13AM
It's the end of an era and Mercury as a brand really isn't viable for dealers or Ford anymore. I really have no idea why the company clings to it.
For decades the brand has been selling Ford vehicles with different grilles. Sometimes they have two-tone leather. What is the point?
The brand image itself is so bad who can justify the huge expense of coming up with unique products for it? Especially in Ford's precarious financial position?
Chrysler was smart phasing out Eagle and Plymouth in the 1990s. GM showed a glimmer of intelligence putting Oldsmobile down. But Ford still has Mercury and there's literally no point to it.
Mulally can't kill this brand soon enough.
Steve_S @ Dec 18th 2007 11:16AM
That's too bad, not unexpected but to bad. Hadd a 99 Cougar and it was a pretty good car. Would be nice to see Mercury with unique models. They should probably just close the brand though.
Eddie @ Dec 18th 2007 11:18AM
Mercury is still company?
mk @ Dec 18th 2007 11:18AM
they have product in the pipeline for Mercury???
WHERE?
I WANT TO SEE THIS MYSTICAL MERCURY MERCHANDISE!!!!
I am getting a bit upset about this. I was brought home from the hospital in a Mercury Capri. One of three that my father has at one time owned. He would own another if there were an alternative to his 2005 Mustang. my first car was a Mustang (should have been that fox Capri, though), 93 Probe GT, and a Ranger 4x4 myself, before going over to the OTHER blue oval with the pleiades for a competent sport sedan.
I would SO buy a new Mercury if there were something worth getting positively excited about.
But, for all of FoMoCo's commentary, I am betting that we won't see JACK for Mercury at the Detroit show, and if we do, it will probably be a face-lifted production model, not a new concept or new product. They haven't shown a mercury concept worth remembering for quite some time. The last one that really hit me was the MC4, which was TEN YEARS AGO.
I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it, especially if FOMOCO notices these threads...
GIVE MERCURY SOME GOOD CARS!
S197-updated platform with IRS.
Build a new Cougar (or and M-name Mustang alternative)
And a new Marauder rear-drive sport sedan. (what other car companies erroneously call a "4-door coupe" I like the style, I just don't like the oxy-moronic term that has been coined for it.)
Use the european kinetic design language, but please keep the lower grille intake toned down a bit, and use the waterfall grille theme, if you like.
Aim them directly at the G35/G37 sedan/coupe pair.
Bring over the 3-door euro-Focus as a Mercury premium compact. Tracer was nice enough when it was a Mazda 323 alternative, but this would be MUCH better, and a good 3-door alternative to the C30 and Mazda3.
That would be much more attractive to Mercury buyers than a re-badged old/new US Focus, which are now going 2 and 4 door. And the euro focus would by all accounts be worth the premium price, appropriately placed as a mercury vehicle.
With a turbo 2.3-2.5 DISI engine and AWD, and the Euro-focus 3-door style, it would be a worthy successor to the 323 GTX (Mazdaspeed3 doesn't have the AWD... unfortunately) And it would also be an attractive alternative to the WRX and Lancer ralliart, which are not coupes.
Bring over the S-Max as a nice CUV/Minivan people-mover, which the US Ford brand doesn't have, and Lincoln doesn't need. (they have the Edge/MKX anyway)
Leave the Milan, Sable, Mariner and Mountaineer if you want, as ford alternatives. But the above cars should be imported or developed NOW.
Come, on, FOMOCO, STEP UP AND SAVE MERCURY! That would be a BOLD MOVE!
psarhjinian @ Dec 18th 2007 12:15PM
Why save Mercury? It's a damaged brand, and Ford may as well put those resources into improving it's own offerings (I'd like to see the interior improvements in the Milan moved into the Fusion) and/or into growing Mazda, Lincoln and Volvo.
Mazda, in particular, fills exactly the role that Mercury ought to, only Mazda's not in the marketing toilet. Throwing dollars and effort at Mercury will only steal resources from other Ford brands.
And, really, would we really miss it? Ford canned Mercury in Canada some time ago (the Grand Marquis is still around, but sold through Ford dealers) and it didn't do much either way.
Encinoman @ Dec 23rd 2007 1:49AM
Like the old Steve Miller song, "Buy Me a Mercury." I had a 70 Cougar with a 351 that's probably still running somewhere. And my 90 Sable was also an excellent car.
Yes a new Cougar would be a great idea--but so would a new Thunderbird.
Tim @ Dec 18th 2007 11:27AM
I see one use for Mercury. Use it as the outlet for all the great European Fords, ala Saturn.
Heck, they might even be able to sell the new Focus as a Mercury, given how different it now looks to the new US model.
They've tried it in the past (Hello Merkur), but they've never fully committed. They could keep the Grand Marquis thru the end of it's life, and maybe the Mountaineer, but drop all the rest and bring over the Mondeo, Focus, Fiesta, S-Max, and Fusion SUV. Obviously, they would need to be badged and renamed (in some cases).
john @ Dec 22nd 2007 9:38PM
saturn is gm dude
DriverG @ Dec 18th 2007 11:32AM
Mercury subsidizes Lincoln dealers, giving them lower priced offerings and, more importantly, extra cars to fill up their service departments - which dealers make a lot of money on. As feeble as Mercury seems, it actually outsells Lincoln at this time. No, this is not a very ambitious goal for Ford and they could do much better by Mercury if they tried, but it's also not a complete waste of time, and I'm sure the Lincoln dealers appreciate it - I certainly don't hear them calling for the end of Mercury.
DDL @ Dec 18th 2007 12:13PM
Mullaly's "One Ford" plan clearly assumes that it will be only Ford and Lincoln going forward. Ford can say there is Mercury product on the way - but it can't be anything more than new trim lines for existing products. No need to sell European Fords as Mercurys because those cars will be future US Fords too. Ford's decision to keep Volvo (at least for now) fills the mid market gap better than Mercury ever did and allow Lincoln some space to move up.
3cubed minus 3squared plus1 @ Dec 18th 2007 12:16PM
I own a 1992 Mercury Cougar.
I would like to trade it in for something new, but they don't make big RWD coupes that are affordable anymore.
I'll keep it for now.
Gregg @ Dec 18th 2007 12:31PM
Yes, isn't it sad? The 1989-97 Cougar may have been the same as the T-bird, but it had a unique presence with completely different roofline and body panels. Even earlier, Mercury used to be distinquished from Fords not just by unique rooflines and body panels, but often different wheelbases as well. Sort of like what Lincoln now is.
I am willing to bet that any new products in the Mercury pipeline are akin to Mariner, Mountaineer, Milan and Montego: every last one is a current Ford with a Mercury grill and some added satin nickel trim. Pathetic.