October 2010 vehicle sales results

[sxckevo]

:( what can we do!! i hate looking at the sales figures every month are we doing wrong

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

Falcon - 2,258 (sedan, wagon & FPV)
Falcon ute - 678 (includes FPV)
Fairlane - 0
LTD - 0
Territory - 891

Commodore - 3,787 (sedan, wagon and HSV)
Commodore ute - 799 (includes HSV)
Statesman - 4
Caprice - 75
Adventra - 0
Monaro - 0

Interesting to see the LWB completely dead for Holden. Time to say bye bye?

Combined - Ford - 3827
Holden - 4665

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Interesting to see the LWB completely dead for Holden. Time to say bye bye?

Combined - Ford - 3827
Holden - 4665

2005 - Not sure what Ford were doing then, but Holden were doing 840 cars a day, and another 280 on saturdays. Approx 4400 per week.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

2005 - Not sure what Ford were doing then, but Holden were doing 840 cars a day, and another 280 on Saturdays. Approx 4400 per week.

Building cars when there was a bigger large car market? Also a bigger export program? Also running 3 shift.

[OZQUAD44]

I think that Ford are building momentum ATM. their adds are better, the new v8 has landed, the new ranger, and falcon/territory drivelines are just around the corner. I'm hoping Novemeber figures will show some impact of the new V8. And I hope the I4 and LPI models will revive fleet sales.

But at the end of the day, don't complain about low numbers get out there and buy a new Ford. Those 50th anniversary models are great value, and look great. The interiors are really nice.

[Fiesta God]

As always, you are better off selling 1000 cars and making a healthy profit, and continuing to put your money into developing new products and paying off debt, rather than selling 5000 cars and making no money and being in lots of debt.

Huge year for Ford coming up - new Territory (which will be a market leader once again), new Focus (will get a huge boost in a very important segment), revised Falcon engine range, new Ranger (massive segment) etc.

The thing with Ford is that they have some EXCELLENT products about to come online. All these products will be market leaders is their design, driveability and features.

And most importantly they will be profitable to sell. The more money you make, the better cars you can develop!

[Road_Warrior]

I'm very concerned about the ute. They should be shifting more of them.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

2005 - Not sure what Ford were doing then, but Holden were doing 840 cars a day, and another 280 on saturdays. Approx 4400 per week.

And the 2005 result?

Ford $148.2 million profit
Holden $144.6 million LOSS

[blk6t]

People need to start buying new Falcons again and not recently used Falcons or cars from other manufacturers. I hear more people buying used current model Falcons because their saving some coin but I keep telling them if everyone is buying the used cars, who is buying the new cars that keep Ford and the Falcon going????

One guy at work considered selling his XR6T for a Focus because he was doing big kms each year, that's why Falcon sales are going backwards! I convinced him that the Focus is not that much more economical!!!

One big issue for Ford is the Dealerships (not all), most are horrible to deal with and CAN'T sell the Falcon because they don't know enough about the cars positive attributes. Most Dealers I have spoken to all say the Falcon is better and faster than the VE and I say...why??? I always get stupid answers every time! My mate works at a Sydney dealership and up until Bathurst had no idea the GS was becoming a permanent in the FPV stables!

Although I do see more Holden supporters driving Toyota's, that also says a lot!

[jpd80]

Even with 50th anniversary specials,Falcon is fast becoming a car that no one want to buy.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by blk6t

People need to start buying new Falcons again and not recently used Falcons or cars from other manufacturers. I hear more people buying used current model Falcons because their saving some coin but I keep telling them if everyone is buying the used cars, who is buying the new cars that keep Ford and the Falcon going????

One guy at work considered selling his XR6T for a Focus because he was doing big kms each year, that's why Falcon sales are going backwards! I convinced him that the Focus is not that much more economical!!!

One big issue for Ford is the Dealerships (not all), most are horrible to deal with and CAN'T sell the Falcon because they don't know enough about the cars positive attributes. Most Dealers I have spoken to all say the Falcon is better and faster than the VE and I say...why??? I always get stupid answers every time! My mate works at a Sydney dealership and up until Bathurst had no idea the GS was becoming a permanent in the FPV stables!

Although I do see more Holden supporters driving Toyota's, that also says a lot!

The problem is not simple.

There is the GFC still at the moment so many are a bit wary spending and Falcons live in the $40-80k range as well as cost more for rego etc than many other models.

To the average person an upspeced Camry, Mazda, Hyundai or whatever costs the same as a povvo Falcon, has a better warranty, cost less for rego and holds better resale. This makes it all the harder.

Not everyone cares about RWD or any performance issue other than being able to overtake a truck occasionally.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by flappist

The problem is not simple.

There is the GFC still at the moment so many are a bit wary spending and Falcons live in the $40-80k range as well as cost more for rego etc than many other models.

To the average person an upspeced Camry, Mazda, Hyundai or whatever costs the same as a povvo Falcon, has a better warranty, cost less for rego and holds better resale. This makes it all the harder.

Not everyone cares about RWD or any performance issue other than being able to overtake a truck occasionally.

Bingo.
All three points are spot on IMO.

How I wish Ford had a decent car to put into the $30,000 to $50,000 region,
the $10,000 less makes a heck of a lot of difference to people's finances.

If we had a slightly more relevant Falcon to the market's needs, there could be room
for Taurus to sit above it at a reasonable price doubling the sales improvement.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Bingo.
All three points are spot on IMO.

How I wish Ford had a decent car to put into the $30,000 to $50,000 region,
the $10,000 less makes a heck of a lot of difference to people's finances.

Mondeo, XR6, Territory?

[FNQracing]

Falcon is struggling in my opinion because of styling. Its just too conservative when compared to the latest generation of cars in the marketplace. They just don't have the wow factor. The VE is older, but looks newer, and VE have plenty of hero cars getting around lifting the image. All VE's look pretty hip - Caprice, Sportwagon, Calais Ute etc.....

All Falcons look identical at 50 paces, even FPV's. I still mistake FG's for BF's, and I'm a Falcon nut. The FG utes are just crook and the Territory looks like a 10 year old Escape.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

I'm very concerned about the ute. They should be shifting more of them.

Make hi-rider suspension standard on base XL, make an RTV derivative, and make the 3 seater version optional on XR.

But Ford AU is more about winning engineering contracts than shifting metal nowadays.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Mondeo, XR6, Territory?

Mondeo sells like poo, people don't like it and Ford keeps coming up with excuses
for low sales numbers but guess what, Ford Europe has had heavy falls in sales.
There is production capacity there but they just don't want to be bothered with ADR cars.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Mondeo sells like poo, people don't like it and Ford keeps coming up with excuses
for low sales numbers but guess what, Ford Europe has had heavy falls in sales.
There is production capacity there but they just don't want to be bothered with ADR cars.

Only one medium car actually sells well in that segment.

Ford has the product (incomplete in certain areas but that's coming).

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Only one medium car actually sells well in that segment.

Ford has the product (incomplete in certain areas but that's coming).

Let's be careful about the terms we use, "Mid sized" cars no longer really exist,
Camry, Accord, Sonata/I45, Mondeo are all Large Mid Sized cars, they're big car in disguise.
If we were looking at the market logically, all of those "large" medium cars you speak of
would be grouped in with small Large car like Falcon, Commodore and Aurion.

What I'm proposing is a slightly smaller, lighter Falcon available with I-4, V6, V8 and diesel engines that
shares a lot with the next Mustang and repositions Falcon as an affordable large mid Sized Aussie car.
That would then allow FoA to build the bigger RHD Taurus and Explorer here in Australia and gain more sales.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by jpd80

That would then allow FoA to build the bigger RHD Taurus and Explorer here in Australia and gain more sales.

Seeing the Taurus in the flesh, it looks very ordinary. Doubt it would even sell.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Seeing the Taurus in the flesh, it looks very ordinary. Doubt it would even sell.

Based on what, that 90% of the Australian market buys vehicles other than Ford?
Respectfully disagree, I've seen the 2011 Taurus in the flesh this time last year and
even though I didn't get to drive it, it felt like one generation ahead of our Falcon.

So, given that , I'd say it would be an interesting break through vehicle
especially if FoA still had a Falcon albeit a slightly smaller one than now...

See, a huge group of RWD fans lobbied Ford to keep Falcon RWD for the next product cycle
but recent drop in sales tells Ford that those vociferous RWD fans are not buying new Falcons....
What are they supposed to do, listen to a vocal majority that don't support the product?
or are these people now giving Ford the ammunition to try something new......

[dannyhilton]

Originally Posted by jpd80

...But recent drop in sales tells Ford that those vociferous RWD fans are not buying new Falcons. What are they supposed to do, listen to a vocal majority that don't support the product? Or are these people now giving Ford the ammunition to try something new......

Absolutely spot on.

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by jpd80

And the 2005 result?

Ford $148.2 million profit
Holden $144.6 million LOSS

hehehe.. That is funny, that bob guy has come on here a few times, quoting per day line plans & how Ford have been behind, yet ever year he picked Ford killed them in profit.. His really starting to make himself look silly...

[Joe5619]

Ford has to stop discounting the crap out of these cars. I own a 11 month old XR6T & my brother is looking at buying a 2nd hand XR6T FG (same as mine).. The prices they are selling for are mind blowing.. The money I've lost in 11 months is scary. I know cars are not an investment, but I’m talking 10 grand (at least) in 11months.. And I think I got a pretty good deal when I bought it. We’ll make me think twice next time between new or 12-18 months old...

Why are these cars dropping so much? If fleets have moved away from them, what is causing this drop & how does Ford fix this? This I think is what needs fixing long term for Falcon to continue long term..

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

hehehe.. That is funny, that bob guy has come on here a few times, quoting per day line plans & how Ford have been behind, yet ever year he picked Ford killed them in profit.. His really starting to make himself look silly...

One for the memory bank, Holden has not made a profit in the past five years.
Ford had losses too but the one major loss was due mainly to redundancy payments
to 600 workers and topping up superannuation fund guaranteed pay out figure.

[b0son]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

Why are these cars dropping so much?

General lack of demand in both new and used markets. Add to that the resultant crazy discounting of new Falcons, it forces the used prices down which also dissuades people from buying them new when they see the resale is so poor.

Its like Magna all over again.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by FFOracing

I still mistake FG's for BF's, and I'm a Falcon nut.

trust me, you are a minority. even my wife can see the difference from a mile off, and she isn't into cars at all.

[My poor XF]

Originally Posted by FFOracing

Falcon is struggling in my opinion because of styling. Its just too conservative when compared to the latest generation of cars in the marketplace. They just don't have the wow factor. The VE is older, but looks newer, and VE have plenty of hero cars getting around lifting the image. All VE's look pretty hip - Caprice, Sportwagon, Calais Ute etc.....

All Falcons look identical at 50 paces, even FPV's. I still mistake FG's for BF's, and I'm a Falcon nut. The FG utes are just crook and the Territory looks like a 10 year old Escape.

I know styling is subjective but you can't be serious. Ford have been stung by experimental styling before and are now delivering a product that looks fantastic, sharp and fresh. BA was a relatively conservative design. FG really looks nothing like a BF, there is a photo somewhere here of a G6ET next to a BF2 Ghia and the difference is immense.

The VE to me looks like a fat and rounded VZ. Flared arches and rounded edges don't bring any wow factor my way. The only good looking VE is a lowered Caprice.

Agree regarding the territory but a 10yr old escape is a bit harsh.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Based on what, that 90% of the Australian market buys vehicles other than Ford?
Respectfully disagree, I've seen the 2011 Taurus in the flesh this time last year and
even though I didn't get to drive it, it felt like one generation ahead of our Falcon.

So, given that , I'd say it would be an interesting break through vehicle
especially if FoA still had a Falcon albeit a slightly smaller one than now...

See, a huge group of RWD fans lobbied Ford to keep Falcon RWD for the next product cycle
but recent drop in sales tells Ford that those vociferous RWD fans are not buying new Falcons....
What are they supposed to do, listen to a vocal majority that don't support the product?
or are these people now giving Ford the ammunition to try something new......

Well then just shut down the factory and kill the Falcon off and import the Taurus.

I saw it last month and my money would go elsewhere, the media would bag the Taurus if it came here.
When the Falcon finally dies in Australia Ford will most likely not see my money for new car sales.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Well then just shut down the factory and kill the Falcon off and import the Taurus.

Sadly, lack of Falcon sales is sending that very message to Ford,
the very opposite message the vocal RWD supporters were telling Ford just recently...

I saw it last month and my money would go elsewhere, the media would bag the Taurus if it came here.
When the Falcon finally dies in Australia Ford will most likely not see my money for new car sales.

For the record, My plan was to add product - not substitution.

I suggested a large mid sized Falcon that shared it's design and power train
with Mustang to be built here, on top of that they could build the much
larger Taurus here as a RHD for people that think differently to you and I.

Edit,
There's a back story for the very low sales numbers last month,
there's a tiff between dealers and Ford atm...
I don't know any details more than that.....

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by vztrt

I saw it last month and my money would go elsewhere, the media would bag the Taurus if it came here.
When the Falcon finally dies in Australia Ford will most likely not see my money for new car sales.

You are talking about this Taurus?