Ford ‘2nd Car’ subscription scheme launched in Australia

Fancy driving a Mustang but your life dictates buying a far more sensible Ford instead? Ford’s ‘2nd Car’ program may be the antidote.

3

A subscription service offered to buyers of new Escapes and Rangers, 2nd Car costs $500 to begin a membership, and up to $750 for a two-week loan period. Compared to the $45K minimum spend required to buy a Mustang – or the cost of renting Ford’s pony car – loaning one for a week or two from Ford could be enticing to those who only want a sports car experience on an ad-hoc basis.

Ranger owners get the best deal: for them, one week behind the wheel of a Mustang costs just $250, while Escape owners need to pay $375 for a single week. Double those amounts for a two-week loan. How’s the value stack up? Well, renting a Mustang GT coupe from a typical rental company costs around $3000 for two weeks.

3

The scheme isn’t available at all Ford dealers and restricts members to loans of the Mustang for now, but Ford Australia says it may expand the scope of 2nd Car in the future.

“It could be that you buy a Focus, but you need a ute – it becomes more cost-effective [than renting] to use 2nd Car and get a Ranger ute perhaps,” said Ford Australia representative Damion Smy.

“It could be on the cards long-term, but Mustang’s the obvious choice at the moment because of the way it resonates and its popularity.”

It’s also worth noting that at this stage the 2nd Car program only allows for a maximum of 14 days of Mustang loans over the two year period, spread over two individual loans. That can be split between two seven-day loans or taken in one 14-day hit, but once that two-week allowance is over your ability to borrow a Mustang ends. Plan your loans carefully.

That situation may change, however, especially as 2nd Car is the first scheme of its type for Ford globally and likely to evolve. According to Ford, the 2nd Car program “aims to give consumers a taste of how vehicle ownership and mobility may evolve in the future, with new models for vehicle access ownership and sharing being explored”.

It’s a concept that other manufacturers are experimenting with overseas, with Volvo, General Motors, BMW and Porsche all offering pay-as-you-go subscription style schemes of their own.