I just don't get Aussie car buyers?

[forcedindction]

Looking at the Q1 stats for '07 :-

# Holden Commodore 5752
# Ford Falcon 3249


Why are so many people still buying the Falcon when the Commodore is a new model and a better car? Particularly as the current falcon is getting long in the tooth. Are we just too brand loyal for our own good? Surely those Falcon numbers aren't all made up of Taxis, fleet and XR-6 turbos !!!

I just don't get it !!!

[payaya]

How about when the BA was better than the VY etc for ages they never topped the sales chart only for one month i think.

So yes it is brand loyalty!

The Falcon is getting long in the tooth and its still up there more so the Turbos. Typhoon is still a very good car, and has from reviews been the better car when compared to the HSV.

[Jac001]

how many of those sale are private sales rather than long term fleet sales...?

[payaya]

The way things are with the aussie industry at the moment, I dont question why one manufacturer is able to sell so much of their car I'm just happy aussies are still buying them.

The way things are going Toyota is going to swallow the Aussie car trade.

[NewV8]

Fords are cheaper for fleets. Every Holden driver where I work is or has changed from Monaros and Commodores to XR6 and XR6T.

My leased 2005 Monaro was $18500 a year but now the SS is $25000 while a XR6T is $19000.

[payaya]

the XR6 is a cheaper car then the Monaro??

[NewV8]

the XR6 is a cheaper car then the Monaro??

Two years ago it was :) Ithink it was 15 or 16 in 2005.

[Curtis-R]

I can pretty confidently say that around 80% of new commodores sold are fleet so I imagine Ford would be around the same figure..? There are some huge fleet deals around with Ford & Holden.

[planetdavo]

I just don't get it !!!
People buy Protons and ssangyongs....

[Devil CV8]

Two years ago it was :) Ithink it was 15 or 16 in 2005.the november 2005 prices was monaro 18k, SS 17500, xr6t was similar and the sv6 was 15k. I ended up goin the sv6. next one will either be xr6t or (if I get the new job) ss-v.

[OPPYLOCK]

I don't think those figures are representative of what the average punter is buying. Fleet sales account for a large percentage.
In saying that, we are in the minority in that we are enthusiasts who only make up a small percentage of these figures. If I were Joe average and was looking at the difference between a base model Commodore or Falcon the decision would be harder than say the choice between a BF XR8 and VE SS.

[djgelling]

Looking at the Q1 stats for '07 :-
when the Commodore is a ...... better car?


Fairly sweeping statement that....... and not necessarily the opinion of all (including some prominent motoring scribes), The Alloytec V6 is not universally applauded as being the engine it should considering the $'s spent on it's development.

Also beauty is in the eye if the beholder. A lot of private buyers are highly emotive about their choices and buy from the heart, not necessarily with the head.

Fleet Managers will definitely buy with their cheque books, not their opinion of which is the better engineered car!!

I personally have no brand loyalty, I'll purchase the car that appeals to me the most. Holden don't have a forced induction product available, and I'm over the V8 thing. There's also something about the VE interior that doesn't quite grab me. (All very emotive considerations). Hence no VE for me at the moment!!

[whitels1ss]

At least they are buying Australian cars and not imports. Sure they like their brand, I think that is better for our country than buying a Hyundai.

[Fnomna]

There was an article quoted a while ago that reported around 80% of Commodore and 90% of Falcon sales are to fleets (or was it non-private buyers?). So I guess a lot of fleets don't necessarily need the latest and greatest model - just a good price, fuel costs and maintenance...

[mkaresh]

Those are some scary high fleet sales percentages.

GM's about to sell the Commodore over here in the U.S. as a Pontiac, which should have few fleet sales. But it can't be easy to design a car to suit both Australian fleet buyers and U.S. retail customers.

[Chappy]

the XR6 is a cheaper car then the Monaro??

They maybe cheaper but there is a reason for that to, like the saying goes "you only get what you pay for"

[Marco]

Fleet deals would definitely be a huge part of it - when I last had some involvement with fleet arrangements about a year ago, you could lease yourself a BF Ghia for about the same weekly money as a base model Commo, 380 or Camry, and there was some other deal going where you could get a super-low price on an XR6 if you changed it over every year.

These days, though, I'd have a VE Omega over a BFII Ghia for the same money. I was in my boss's BF Ghia last week and after two months of driving a VE, the Ford just felt so old and out of date.

[F6 Hoon]

Looking at the Q1 stats for '07 :-

# Holden Commodore 5752
# Ford Falcon 3249


Why are so many people still buying the Falcon when the Commodore is a new model and a better car? Particularly as the current falcon is getting long in the tooth. Are we just too brand loyal for our own good? Surely those Falcon numbers aren't all made up of Taxis, fleet and XR-6 turbos !!!

I just don't get it !!!

No mate, they're also made up of F6's and Territory Turbo's :thumbsup:

Sure the VE is a great looking car, but having owned a VR V8 and a VT GENIII, and now the current F6 and Ghia Turbo, I'll be waiting for the Orion model arrives next year before I consider jumping ship.

Like some others have mentioned at least it's Australian built and provides employment for locals as opposed to buying an import.

[vh-holden]

Fords are cheaper for fleets. Every Holden driver where I work is or has changed from Monaros and Commodores to XR6 and XR6T.

My leased 2005 Monaro was $18500 a year but now the SS is $25000 while a XR6T is $19000.

the salvos (in darwin at least) have switched from falcons to commodores. they were magnas up until about 99/00 then went with a bit of free choice and people had a mix of magnas, camrys and the odd commodore, then they went with falcons, and now commodores.

[Hitman]

Looking at the Q1 stats for '07 :-

# Holden Commodore 5752
# Ford Falcon 3249


Why are so many people still buying the Falcon when the Commodore is a new model and a better car? Particularly as the current falcon is getting long in the tooth. Are we just too brand loyal for our own good? Surely those Falcon numbers aren't all made up of Taxis, fleet and XR-6 turbos !!!

I just don't get it !!!

Does that mean if the Ford overtook the Holden in sales, you'd jump ship and buy a Ford?