Why are Aussie cars inferior to their Japanese counterparts?

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by SB076

Anyway if you want to purchase a second hand Fuga at $70,000 and pay the compliance costs feel free.

This.



ic

[Ryan]

I would rather a brand new Calais V. It looks alright, but for 70k (used) you would want to hope it's a "generation" ahead of our Australian cars.

[RAPID_BA]

Hulk_ba gets an afternoon off

I didnt start the thread, no comments about au falcobs, tick,

i can take my flamesuit off and grab a bag if chips and watch for a change.

[divine_afg]

Originally Posted by HULK_BA

Hulk_ba gets an afternoon off

I didnt start the thread, no comments about au falcobs, tick,

i can take my flamesuit off and grab a bag if chips and watch for a change.

Your Funny too

[04redxr8]

Originally Posted by HULK_BA

Hulk_ba gets an afternoon off

I didnt start the thread, no comments about au falcobs, tick,

i can take my flamesuit off and grab a bag if chips and watch for a change.

I'll pay that.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by ExAreSix

And still accelerates and handles like a barge... Geez you guys put too much emphasis on power figures, without looking at the complete package.

Agreed totally, its not about the power figure. Hell i know for a fact an XR5 can outbrake and out corner an XR8 around Lakeside

Originally Posted by tezxr8man

I'd like to see this melted plastic looking overstatement put up at a drag strip or go round a track against an FG GT and see who won, I suspect the barge would hand it to it easy,
While it may have more gadgets and gimmicks stuffed into it than a small country that don't make it a great or even good car and the weight of it would make the motor and brakes and all that other stuff no matter how good perform just like a regular dirty old EL FALCON let alone a $70,000 one

Yeah because going in a straight line is was its all about

[jpd80]

I'm wonder if the Fuga is as good as the S/C 5.0 Jaguar XF, now there's an interesting comparison...

[smoo]

Yawn, another parts bin special jappa that takes it styling cues off European cars (in this case Volvo and Maserati). Ask yourself why the Jappas are far behind the Europeans in all things on 2/4/6/8 wheels.
The benchmark has always been the BMW 5 series and Mercedes E Class, which have been designed to last a decade before needing significant update/replacement. Considering Ford Au and Holdens budget they do pretty bloody well compared to the rest of the world.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by HULK_BA

Hulk_ba gets an afternoon off

I didnt start the thread, no comments about au falcobs, tick,

i can take my flamesuit off and grab a bag if chips and watch for a change.

You outsource, did ya?

[MAGPIE]

Originally Posted by OttoXR8

I present you Nissan Fuga,

The car is a generation ahead of our FG Falcon in terms of design, technology, interior and specs

It is certainly not a generation ahead in terms of looks (interior of exterior) it is hideous. There I was thinking the Maxima was ugly but this just takes it to a new level.

[robbyg]

Probably the wrong place to gee up a overseas manufactured motor car, a ford forum, us ford fellas really strugle in trying to see something good in these cars, i know i am one of them, they must have good reliability these days, got all the bells and whistles, and unfortunately us aussies lean that way instead of the locally made item which is as good if not bettter, the old saying shooting yourself in the foot, thats how we are.

[OttoXR8]

You're telling me M56 (Fugo) isnt a generation ahead in styling?

I studied architecture and i know a thing or two about design and styling or arts.

A little self criticism isnt too bad fellas, it will actually improve Ford Aus standards. Quit the typical one eyed supporter attitude for once

[psychoticgroove]

Originally Posted by OttoXR8

You're telling me M56 (Fugo) isnt a generation ahead in styling?

I studied architecture and i know a thing or two about design and styling or arts.

A little self criticism isnt too bad fellas, it will actually improve Ford Aus standards. Quit the typical one eyed supporter attitude for once

Otto agree with you mate, it's a great looker. But you gotta make your peace with the fact that this is a ford forum and there'd be lot of 'blinders wearing' 18 year old keyboard warriors who only care about the 'national red light drags: 60km/h limit special'. Plus others who have 'small man syndrome' and go on about turbo this, v8 that, without actually realising that there's more to a car than just raw power at the fly wheel or even at the wheels for that matter.
Like FLAPPIST said in one of his replies to a dude, 'Did you even read the COTY review?!'

To the others- What i think Otto is trying to say that if this car was made available locally (AKA V8 Infiniti) and for a price comparable to say an F6 or a GT, then there is a whole lot on offer than what FPV/ Ford/ Holden (HSV with its MRC and E3 upgrades of blind side alert/ fancy race schmancy data logging is maybe on par) offer. And in general, while Jap cars may have struggled to catch up to the standards of the Aussie/ Americal car embargo in the 80s, they have since then roared past with dust in our face.

Ok now that i've expressed my opinion, i'm sensing that some people would've taken it personally and not in the light hearted tongue in cheek manner i was trying to put it in. So before you enthusiastic folks start the 'bricking' (no pun intended), i have one thing to say........


wait for it......

FLAME SUIT ON!!

Go nuts.

[SSD-85]

Styling is subjective and matter of opinion. NOT a conformance to what a select few decide that we HAVE to like. Bearing this in mind, this is a FORD forum. So bias to a Ford is going to be inevitable, since its what we like. Just because some of us think this car is ugly, doesnt make us, as one put it, the:

'blinders wearing' 18 year old keyboard warriors who only care about the 'national red light drags: 60km/h limit special'. Plus others who have 'small man syndrome' and go on about turbo this, v8 that


I couldnt care less if 6 figure architects & Art buffs pull themselves over this car every night. MY opinion is its butt-ugly. Simple.

[bingoTE50]

I like it .The price seems high ,but without a drive or seeing it in the flesh ,who knows.
I also like the Maserati and Jags which are current,probably why I like this.
As for Falcons,I had three BA's as company cars,just traded a BF2 GT I had for three years,and quite frankly ,I have grown tired of them. Give me my old TE50 anyday .

[DJM83]

I like it aswell, im not a fan of the rear overhang but its not a big issue.
I know i wont own another falcon again thats for sure, after going to a european car the build quality isnt there with Australian built cars, but i guess everything is built to a budget.

[nstg8a]

i like it, quite a stunning looking car really.

agree the price is a bit out there, but you get that with grey imports.

note, that if we were allowed to import cars willy nilly there would be zero locally made cars. ford/holden would not be able to compete with the price, quality, comfort offered by the different models on offer round the world.


i really think a lot of australians have a negative view of japanese models because of the early aust assembled jap cars, which were so far behind the quality of the jap assembled stuff its not funny.

but being this is aff, your never going to get an unbiased opinion obviously, we are here because we like our fords lol.

but if jap cars here were priced normally, i think i would be driving one instead of my ef.

[Bucknaked]

Not sold on the interior, but I like the exterior. Modern styling and something different to what we are used to here.

[mrghia]

i bet it would hold its value a hell of a lot better the any Aus car maybe except the the limited ed cars like the G6E Turbo 50th.

[Bobman]

The Nissan pictured here isn't the most attractive car but the Japs & Euros definitely are ahead of Ford in terms of interior plastics. FG Falcons still have cheap plastics that are similar to the B series in the console and rear boot sections. The centre console plastics are very easily scratched and have sharp edges. Very cheap & nasty (AU had better quality). Anyone remember the plastics that crumbled in your hands after too much UV on EA-EL? How about sagging roof lining on EA-BF models?

I'll always have a Falcon though (as long as they make them), but if it ever turns into a FWD non I6 car, then it's off to BMW for me. Quality of materials needs to improve to be good competition over the Japs and I am not a huge Jap car fan either (always been a Falcon man).

[BradZ]

I can see where your coming from with this, as i have an 86 Mitsu Gallant and it has adjustable ride height, stiffness, power windows, cruise etc. The XF doesnt have any of that.

[colinl]

It is great to love what you have and be exited about a local product, but we should always be prepared to try and take the blinkers of and be more objective in our examination of other options. It is the only way a manufacturer can get good honest feedback on their products and without this they have a lot of trouble improving.

Disregarding the specific model in this thread and looking at the general question of quality of car, the JD Power group have some answers. The link below is a story on a satisfaction survey done in Australia. For those that haven't noticed the JD Power group before, they have a very good reputation for accurate independent surveys of a range of products. In this case the survey is based on owner satisfaction and as such, it is a very good indicator of quality.

GoAuto.com.au - survey story

[GT450]

I think otto needs to go back on his medication some time soon.lol
Cheers
GT450

[Jimmyd]

Pity it looks like the front clip of this



bolted onto the *** end of this




....and about as desirable too.

But seriously, get back in your cage and stop comparing across classes of car
:

[FORDAUDIORACING]

Aussies cant build cars nice like that one

[4.0i OHC]

That car is one of the most generic that I've seen. It's like Nissan have taken random design cues from European manufacturers and blended them together. (the front end looks especially Volvo). The interior looks so stereotypically Japanese. I wouldn't be satisfied with a Falcon that looked like that.

Almost as derivative as a



Some of these "features" are wholly unnecessary. Lane Departure Prevention? Blind Spot Intervention System? What's next? Auto Drive?

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by fairlaneman

Some of these "features" are wholly unnecessary. Lane Departure Prevention? Blind Spot Intervention System? What's next? Auto Drive?

wholly unnecessary? you cant be serious? thats probably what people said about dsc and abs, and before that power steering and disc brakes and seat belts...

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by GT450

I think otto needs to go back on his medication some time soon.lol
Cheers
GT450

What because he doesnt 'conform'? Give me a break.

[BlueBear]

Originally Posted by OttoXR8

You're telling me M56 (Fugo) isnt a generation ahead in styling?

I studied architecture and i know a thing or two about design and styling or arts.

A little self criticism isnt too bad fellas, it will actually improve Ford Aus standards. Quit the typical one eyed supporter attitude for once

If FORD (or anyone else) were to put a car that followed those styling queues on Aussie roads it would bomb so bad, they would wish they had the AU back.

That is one of the most UGLY things I have seen for a long time...
It would be one thing to have it for Hyundai money, but for GT money... yeah right.

Certainly self criticism is a good thing, but so is knowing your market.

Anyway, you got what you wanted, stirred the pot quite nicely hey?

[MethodX]

Prob has quality, but its just so Japanese, a pastiche of Euro styling cues.
Got to have some pride.