Leading up to the launch of the all-new, aluminum construction Ford F-150, naysayers could be found on just about every corner. The squawked about repair costs and the impact on resale value.
Well, boys and girls, it's time for them to eat crow.
The latest reports stemming from ALG, which has been setting resale values in the automotive space for more than 50 years, has actually RAISED the F-150's resale value when compared to the 2014 model year product.
In fact, ALG didn't penalize the Blue Oval's latest pick-up truck at all due to its aluminum construction. According to ALG, the vehicle's improved fuel efficiency played a significant factor in its higher resale value.
The resale value of Ford Motor Co.’s new 2015 F-150 pickup jumped 11.5 percent over last year’s model as improved fuel efficiency outweighed concerns over repair costs for its aluminum body, according to TrueCar Inc.’s ALG division.
ALG estimated a 2015 F-150 will retain 58 percent of its value after three years, up from 52 percent on the 2014 model, Eric Lyman, ALG’s vice president of industry insights, said in an interview on Wednesday. Toyota Motor Corp.’s Tundra has the highest resale value among full-sized pickups, while Ford’s truck is the best among U.S. automakers, Lyman said.
Ford’s use of aluminum, which costs more than steel, had raised concerns the F-150 would be expensive to repair and insure. ALG, which has set resale values on autos for more than 50 years, didn’t penalize Ford for using aluminum because the light-weight material has been successfully used for years on Jaguar luxury cars, Lyman said. Ford developed the aluminum Jaguar models before selling the brand in 2008 to raise cash.
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