Falcon & Territory to disappear forever after 2016

[VYBerlinaV8]

You'd have to wonder how many territory buyers would really want the expense and hassle of a V8 or turbo 6. Clearly the territory turbo didn't sell well, or it would still be being made.

FWIW I've never really seen the point of an SUV without real offroad ability anyway. They just seem to combine the worst of several different vehicle types.

[steve_t]

The first line of that story -

"There is rampant auto industry speculation that Ford will cease making cars in Australia sometime after 2016."

They must get their "facts" from this forum.

Eh what? This forum is always good for rampant factual speculation :buff:

[Martin_D]

Anyone want to put money on Ford NOT stopping local manufacture?

[planetdavo]

Anyone want to put money on Ford NOT stopping local manufacture?

Doubt anyone will.
We are all people with an interest in cars, so we are far more aware of the deterioration of the large car sector than most of Joe Public would be, and particularly Ford's local manufacturing health.
This "Joe Public" would only find out about the rumours and best guesstimates reading or hearing media reports. Stories like the ABC has done, not to mention others, only undermine the public's confidence in the brand, further killing the product. Many people are employed either directly or indirectly by Ford Australia (and Mitsubishi before), and do not need media outlets lining up like a pack of rabid dogs awaiting a kill. It could be several years yet before Ford closes their plants down, but people see these stories, think it's about to happen tomorrow, and "assume" they will be stuck with an orphan that's virtually worthless come trade in time if they buy one.
Lots of people that buy imported cars probably don't really give a sh!t, but many, many people will be affected by the closure of ANY local manufacturer. It shouldn't be almost encouraged.

[Martin_D]

It shouldn't be almost encouraged.

Because - correct! :)

[planetdavo]

Because - correct! :)

Because - they currently have the best local products they've ever had.
Too little- too late?
Maybe, but people shouldn't gain some sort of perverted satisfaction in encouraging their premature demise.

[Magnum9]

It's the same way that media reporting affects property prices. It has a far greater impact on consumer sentiment than any legitimate factors do.

[Martin_D]

Because - they currently have the best local products they've ever had.
Too little- too late?
Maybe, but people shouldn't gain some sort of perverted satisfaction in encouraging their premature demise.

I really dont know exactly whats wrong with FoMoCos Aussie division, but there is plenty.
They could be selling Veyrons for $11,999 drive away and no one word of heard of them, seen them advertised, or more to the point bought one.
This is a far cry from the days when pissed Yobbos were water skiing on dried salt flats behind Falcon utes to move the things out the showroom (and it worked)
The current range is good, but the PR department are as emotive as undertakers....Imagine if you and I were doing it Davo, be bloody ripper eh? :bow:

[planetdavo]

I really dont know exactly whats wrong with FoMoCos Aussie division, but there is plenty.
They could be selling Veyrons for $11,999 drive away and no one word of heard of them, seen them advertised, or more to the point bought one.
This is a far cry from the days when pissed Yobbos were water skiing on dried salt flats behind Falcon utes to move the things out the showroom (and it worked)
The current range is good, but the PR department are as emotive as undertakers....Imagine if you and I were doing it Davo, be bloody ripper eh? :bow:

They certainly aren't doing an awful lot to sell themselves. Something isn't right. I don't know if they are given very little advertising budget or have been directed to concentrate on their imported product, but the local car advertising is pretty minimal. One would have thought the release of Ecoboost Falcon, a car getting generally great reviews in the motoring media, would have prompted a decent initial advertising push at the very least, yet it's almost unheard of.

[VH-COM]

News gets worse for Falcon .....


Goauto 2 Aug FORD Australia is bracing for more bad news tomorrow when official VFACTS figures are expected to show that July sales of its locally made Falcon plummeted by almost half compared with the same month last year.

Industry sources say Ford dealers managed to shift just 943 Falcon sedans last month, against 1835 in July 2011 and 2342 in July 2010.
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/A8D87893A89F44E3CA257A4E00224D06

[planetdavo]

Unfortunately, when you have a manufacturer doing almost no advertising of their large car, and dealers showing little interest in selling them, the end result is pretty much inevitable...

[zorro]

Because - they currently have the best local products they've ever had.
Too little- too late?
Maybe, but people shouldn't gain some sort of perverted satisfaction in encouraging their premature demise.

That's a good point. Manufacturing here was always going to have a certain death however ford may have won market share had the AU been less of a disaster. 'if' the BA came out in place of the AU instead of playing catch up at a guess we would of seen territory, diesel engines, ecoboost a long time ago. Hindsight is wonderful thing.

My company car is a basic FG xr6. Averages low 10s driving around Melbourne, the ZF is fantastic, cruise control is miles ahead of Holden, dash/hvac layouts easier on the eye and the head unit/iPod/bluetooth integration is more user friendly than Holden. Then it goes, handles and stops better than the sv6.....

For the money a family car that fits kids comfortably, upto 10 dead bodies in the boot and good on fuel for its size really I don't know why people aren't buying

[mac06]

IMHO the lack of advertizing is the writing on the wall. I think Ford US has long decided the fate of local production, it's just a matter of when.

[VYBerlinaV8]

For the money a family car that fits kids comfortably, upto 10 dead bodies in the boot and good on fuel for its size really I don't know why people aren't buying

3 reasons:
1) The local product is not as well made as most alternatives at the same price point (ie Korean and Japanese)
2) Resale values are appalling
3) Sedans are not considered 'cool' by many, especially younger people.

Points 1 and 2 are enough to put me off.

[VL Executive]

Yeah, I cant understand why Ford have not been advertising the Falcon ecoboost range? They spend all that time, money and R&D to make it, and dont even try to "sell" it to the public with lack of advertising / reviews, etc.

Recently witnessed a coversation between a couple of people, One did not even know that the Falcon ecoboost had been released yet.

[VL Executive]

3) Sedans are not considered 'cool' by many, especially younger people.


Whats the new cool car then? 4 cylinder hatchbacks. Sad really

[zorro]

3 reasons:
1) The local product is not as well made as most alternatives at the same price point (ie Korean and Japanese)
2) Resale values are appalling
3) Sedans are not considered 'cool' by many, especially younger people.

Points 1 and 2 are enough to put me off.

I have done 26k in it and no rattles, nothing falling apart, no issues at all. I don't see how it is any less made or equipped in the category?

An imported factory backed car will have better resale in Australia, much the same as euro cars depreciate the same in Europe. Actually you want appalling resale here most euros depreciate quicker and by a higher percentage vs purchase price than the locals.

Cars aren't an investment they are a commodity, resale over longevity doesn't apply as much.

[zorro]

City/freeway/peak hour......

Really can't complain with this, even if I was paying for the fuel

1411

[SUZUKI MALISHA]

anyone worrying about commies and falcons.....toyota has had over 22million recalls around the world and nearly 600 000 recalls in australia in the last 2-3 years. So much for the whole reliable toyota myth then huh. Mind you the hilux doesnt figure in those numbers...from memory its mostly camry yaris and rav4 models. Yep i was suprized too. Still doesnt beat the most recalled car in aus history...the holden adventura....ouch for owners with a lemon.

[planetdavo]

anyone worrying about commies and falcons.....toyota has had over 22million recalls around the world and nearly 600 000 recalls in australia in the last 2-3 years. So much for the whole reliable toyota myth then huh. Mind you the hilux doesnt figure in those numbers...from memory its mostly camry yaris and rav4 models. Yep i was suprized too. Still doesnt beat the most recalled car in aus history...the holden adventura....ouch for owners with a lemon.

Think you need to learn what a "lemon" car is fella.
A "lemon" is a car that continually keeps needing ongoing repairs at regular intervals, or the one fault can't be fixed after repeated efforts. Recalls or reworks are usually done on cars with no obvious symptoms, and quite probably could have lived a full life without an issue appearing at all.
Even your favourite brand has numerous recalls and reworks...:stick:

[SUZUKI MALISHA]

Think you need to learn what a "lemon" car is fella.
A "lemon" is a car that continually keeps needing ongoing repairs at regular intervals, or the one fault can't be fixed after repeated efforts. Recalls or reworks are usually done on cars with no obvious symptoms, and quite probably could have lived a full life without an issue appearing at all.
Even your favourite brand has numerous recalls and reworks...:stick:

Yep thats what the advetura is buddy...like ten recalls in its short history...THATS why its not here anymore.And my point was pity anyone who has a lemon car which also is recalled that much.

lol for your info bro my fav actually scored the best in a recent independant new car review. All complaints from new car buyers left them number one with the fewest comlaints. Your favourite just scrapped into the top ten from memory so i guess that makes me NOT a looser:fishing:

[redvxr8clubby]

3 reasons:
1) The local product is not as well made as most alternatives at the same price point (ie Korean and Japanese)
2) Resale values are appalling
3) Sedans are not considered 'cool' by many, especially younger people.

Points 1 and 2 are enough to put me off.

1) I think the perception is the locals are not as well made, but the reality is generally they are pretty good, I had a Falcon wagon company car for 3 years from 2006 to 2009 - 75,000Km only problem I had was gthe as fuel sender gauge and brakes could do with machining or new discs. I also had a VY wagon for 3 years prior and no problems that I remember just routine servicing and wiper blades.

2) Again this is perception and probably true, but not restricted to local big cars, my daughter had a 2009 Lancer sold early this year a VR model manual 2.5 years old cost about $26.5K in 2009, immaculate condition no accidents etc, no dealer would offer more than high 10's as a trade in. Son had a December 09 Mazda 6 Classic manual sedan only about 18 months old when traded 50,000Km, can't get better than $19K as a trade - car would have cost at least $35K new.

3) I think this is pretty true, but if you need a family sized car, the Falcon (say FG XR6) or Commodore is a very good thing. Pretty good value as say 2 year old used car purchase.