End Of The Road

[FormulaFG]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

The issue is that the things that every Australians love about Australia, are the very same reasons that make manufacturing very hard in this country.

No one wants to be living in a city that has thousands of people per square kilometres, and yet its high density populations that have advantages in taxes and manufacturing scale.

No one wants to be working for $2 an hour, and yet a lower wage can add to job security.

No one wants pollution, but yet if you spend less on environmental care, your manufacturing costs can be lower.

You are correct of course. There needs to be a middle ground and some common sense because we cant have it both ways.

It just brought my urine to a boil when we already have a free trade agreement with Thailand - which benefits their industries better than it benefits ours, and yet its still not enough for the snakes-in-the-grass.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Think I'll cross off Elizabeth on my realestate.com.au watch list..................

That joint looked like a ghetto

[aussiblue]

More importantly many Australians look down on Oz made goods including cars despite the fact that they do have the desired level of quality; if Aussies had bought more Oz made cars there wouldn't be the problem. We can blame the Government or whoever but at the end of the day it was our own fault.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

That joint looked like a ghetto

there is pockets of derros that love sleeping in, smoking bongs on tick and not mowing their lawns

you get that everywhere

[pottery beige]

did lol a bit about them crying about the prospects of long term unemployed with holdens closing

those useless ****s couldnt find their way out the front door through the bong smoke

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by 93EB_SXR6

Ford Australia and Holden both nailed their own coffin lids shut.
It makes no sense to make large sedans powered by "fuel guzzling" 6 or 8 cylinder engines. Not in Australia, not anywhere.

The manufacturers attempted to dictate what people "should by" and the general public responded by looking elsewhere for their vehicles. Like it or not, that is what happened.

This is coming from an enthusiast of large sedans powered by fuel guzzling 6 or 8 cylinder engines.

Maybe you should watch the show first...

Our market is far too open for car manufacturing to be successful here.
A brand could build the top four selling cars here and it still wouldnt viable; there are just too many models and brands available here.

[johnydep]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Maybe you should watch the show first...

Our market is far too open for car manufacturing to be successful here.
A brand could build the top four selling cars here and it still wouldnt viable; there are just too many models and brands available here.

Yes, but they also said that we couldn't survive with domestic sales alone. Exporting was the only way to long term viability. Even if one manufacturer was No.1 in the top 4 sales segments they would on be able to sell 75,000 cars per year. That's not enough to be able to sell a competitively priced vehicle and maintain R&D. We would return to the days when we got all excited about our Falcon getting EFI or a 4 speed auto - 10 years after everyone else.

As mentioned previously - Not many people wanted to drive a big Falcon or Commodore. the majority of the cars in car parks are Cruze and Focus size; where is the Focus built?
Some will say it's because of protected markets, but the sad truth is we did not build anything that OS customers wanted; Falcon, Commodore, Camry, Magna. There all large cars in a market dominated by small cars and SUV's.

The Manufactures got lazy and failed. Governments got complacent and failed. Unions took care of their members privileges. They all failed.

[fte50]

Originally Posted by johnydep

As mentioned previously - Not many people wanted to drive a big Falcon or Commodore. the majority of the cars in car parks are Cruze and Focus size; where is the Focus built?
Some will say it's because of protected markets, but the sad truth is we did not build anything that OS customers wanted; Falcon, Commodore, Camry, Magna. There all large cars in a market dominated by small cars and SUV's.

The Manufactures got lazy and failed. Governments got complacent and failed. Unions took care of their members privileges. They all failed.

All due to protectionism, nothing else.
As an example, a huge portion of Yanks wanted the Falcon ....... how many did Ford Detroit allow to be imported into the US in the last 50yrs ???
Commodore's export program was given the green light with limit quota and was intentionally served in dribs & drabs despite having a market..... was it 'allowed' to excel as a mainstream model in USA. Watch its success post Aust. manufacture.

[JG34JA]

Yep fte50

Let's go back a decade. "Fords that could save Ford now", good read

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...-save-ford-now

[93EB_SXR6]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Maybe you should watch the show first...

Our market is far too open for car manufacturing to be successful here.
A brand could build the top four selling cars here and it still wouldnt viable; there are just too many models and brands available here.

I did watch the show but I didn't need it to tell me the obvious.
I realise there was more than one contributing factor to the closures but I stick by my claim that Ford and Holden both nailed their coffin lids shut.
Most people don't want or need a large powerful sedan. Small fuel efficient cars sell in far higher numbers, those that do want a larger car tend to go for "SUVs" these days.

[zilo]

Mitsubishi North America will soon only be making electric cars.

They are ceasing production of all petrol diesel automobiles including Evo.

Also the only car maker in the US to guarantee to never sack a worker.

http://gas2.org/2014/01/27/mitsubish...-factory-tour/

If only we could do this here...


.

[mif73]

Originally Posted by tempted

What I found highly ironic in this documentary was the bloke who got all emotional describing how generations of his family have worked at Holden and how proud they were of the product they build, but he is then shown driving to work in his imported Corolla.

Yep.
If you have not recently bought a new oz made car then you cant really complain that they are packing up.

I was fortunate to be able to do it twice. One was a work car (au2 sr) and then our family car (fg xr6). Had to finance the xr of course and probably wont buy any new car again due to depreciation and the cost of repayments etc but its been a good car for the past 4 yrs or so.

[Iggle Piggle]

Originally Posted by tempted

What I found highly ironic in this documentary was the bloke who got all emotional describing how generations of his family have worked at Holden and how proud they were of the product they build, but he is then shown driving to work in his imported Corolla.

Guy 4 doors up from me works at Holden's.

He has a VF SS wagon which his wife drives every day while he drives an early 2000's Magna to work at the Beth.

Didn't watch the doco so have no idea if the Corolla was the featured guy's only car - just saying can't always make assumptions based on someone's daily driver / work car / train-station car.

Likewise, I have no idea if the bloke 4 doors away owns the VF outright or if it is some generous work-lease or company vehicle.

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by Iggle Piggle

Guy 4 doors up from me works at Holden's.

He has a VF SS wagon which his wife drives every day while he drives an early 2000's Magna to work at the Beth.

Didn't watch the doco so have no idea if the Corolla was the featured guy's only car - just saying can't always make assumptions based on someone's daily driver / work car / train-station car.

Likewise, I have no idea if the bloke 4 doors away owns the VF outright or if it is some generous work-lease or company vehicle.

Well put!
Unfortunately the superficial outlook is now mainstream.