Announcement 6pm 29th March - F150 Is Coming to Australia

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Never mind…
There’s something more exciting coming in 2024.

Jesus is returning

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Never mind…
There’s something more exciting coming in 2024.

https://cassiopaea.org/forum/threads...21-2024.49777/

eh he he he

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Never mind…
There’s something more exciting coming in 2024.

Now come on...that's like showing me a rib-eye rack roasting in the oven and saying "don't eat it something better is coming"...

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by XR Martin

I posted this in early December last year.

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showpo...&postcount=459

JPFS1 replied with this.

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showpo...&postcount=473

Then also said this.

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showpo...&postcount=478

Bollocks he’s no “Ford Person”

[Rob 351]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Never mind…
There’s something more exciting coming in 2024.

Hopefully factory RHD Shelby GT 500’s.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Fordman1

Bollocks he’s no “Ford Person”

JPFS1 was part of engineering on FGII, not sure if he is still part of Ford…..maybe Thales.
He still is a good friend but outside the knowledge loop on this one, his former
contacts at Ford May have lead him astray as was the case with me, none would talk about RR engine.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Now come on...that's like showing me a rib-eye rack roasting in the oven and saying "don't eat it something better is coming"...

Don’t get too excited, just confirmation of what you already know internally about T6 electrification, probably Nth America/Europe first.

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by jpd80

JPFS1 was part of engineering on FGII, not sure if he is still part of Ford…..maybe Thales.
He still is a good friend but outside the knowledge loop on this one, his former
contacts at Ford May have lead him astray as was the case with me, none would talk about RR engine.

Part of Fraud, not Ford.

[jpd80]

In any case, the truth is there for all to see, F150 RHD and conversion work most definitely here in Australia
and IMO, the smart brains at Ford’s Aussie team worked out the quickest most efficient RHD conversion

Getting Dearborn or Kansas City plants to entertain this work was just never going to happen,
it took a brilliant mind to look at the problem and work out a way to deliver the product at an affordable price
that made the whole project worthwhile to Ford. I take my hat off to such a talented team behind the scenes…

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by XR Martin

I posted this in early December last year.

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showpo...&postcount=459

JPFS1 replied with this.

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showpo...&postcount=473

Then also said this.

https://www.fordforums.com.au/showpo...&postcount=478

So you said that after about 6000 articles had been posted on various auto media websites claiming it was coming months and months earlier, and you are claiming to be some kind of pioneer here?

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Bronco....yay.

That's dead and buried. The numbers of potential sales just didn't even come close to justifying the costs of making it in RHD.

Originally Posted by Fordman1

Bollocks he’s no “Ford Person”

He used to be right on the money back in the day. He had some of the most solid info going around. Don't know what happened there.

[Adamz Ghia]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

That's dead and buried. The numbers of potential sales just didn't even come close to justifying the costs of making it in RHD.

How many F150s are Ford expecting to sell?

[GTLEGEND]

Originally Posted by Adamz Ghia

How many F150s are Ford expecting to sell?

I think I read 4000 units PA somewhere.

[Tassie f100]

Just watched a YouTube on the F150 lightning.Price range in US from low $40s to $80 odd

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

Just watched a YouTube on the F150 lightning.Price range in US from low $40s to $80 odd

Yeah and some dealers already putting $40k to $50k on top is going to test Ford’s warning on dealers cashing in.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Yeah and some dealers already putting $40k to $50k on top is going to test Ford’s warning on dealers cashing in.

Ford just has to get tough with these dealers and hold back their orders or send them to a nearby dealer not ripping off their customers.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Adamz Ghia

How many F150s are Ford expecting to sell?

It's not a valid comparison, because they were looking at how much it was going to cost to build the Bronco factory RHD, not a conversion.

They looked at it's main competitor, the Jeep Wrangler, and they only sell about 200 of those a month here. Even if they outsold it, it's still bugger all. And that's also while potentially stealing Everest sales. There is also no diesel version.

Converting it to RHD here would jack the price up by about 20k and make it even more out of reach. The F series have much higher potential sales, by far. Ram and GMSV have proved this. And at a much higher profit level as well.

It's much cheaper and more profitable to convert and sell F series here than it is to make a factory RHD version of the Bronco to sell here, by far.

[kypez]

Interesting that the F150 ads that were up on the M2 are gone and replaced with an ad for the Ford range with the Old Everest on it (not even the new products). Looks like it was put up in a rush.

Not to read into it but its strange to see the F150 ad disappear...

[Top_Ghia]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Ford just has to get tough with these dealers and hold back their orders or send them to a nearby dealer not ripping off their customers.

That’s tricky to do in a capitalist economy. For many years dealers often made a loss on the front end sale. Now demand is sky high I don’t think you can tell them to stop making so much money. Let the market decide.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by Top_Ghia

That’s tricky to do in a capitalist economy. For many years dealers often made a loss on the front end sale. Now demand is sky high I don’t think you can tell them to stop making so much money. Let the market decide.

Sorry, however if those dealers were able to survive before now and still stay in business, I don't think there is any justification for today outright gouging customers just because they can. And if correct that some markups are in the multiple 10's of thousands then Ford has a duty to protect it's potential buyers and avoid buyer backlash because a customer going to another brand doesn't help the dealer or the manufacturer.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Sorry, however if those dealers were able to survive before now and still stay in business, I don't think there is any justification for today outright gouging customers just because they can. And if correct that some markups are in the multiple 10's of thousands then Ford has a duty to protect it's potential buyers and avoid buyer backlash because a customer going to another brand doesn't help the dealer or the manufacturer.

There are also tough state franchise laws that protect dealers against what would be call intimidatory action by a manufacturer, deliberately denying stock as punishment for dealer markups is a hiding to nothing law suit for Ford, gotta watch their step…

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Sorry, however if those dealers were able to survive before now and still stay in business, I don't think there is any justification for today outright gouging customers just because they can. And if correct that some markups are in the multiple 10's of thousands then Ford has a duty to protect it's potential buyers and avoid buyer backlash because a customer going to another brand doesn't help the dealer or the manufacturer.

Even better idea, be able to buy it from Ford Australia directly through their website without needing a dealership involved

[kypez]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Even better idea, be able to buy it from Ford Australia directly through their website without needing a dealership involved

The direct buying model looks better and better everyday

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[Top_Ghia]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Even better idea, be able to buy it from Ford Australia directly through their website without needing a dealership involved

Be careful what you wish for. You might just get it.

[CyberWasp]

How is it working out for Honda?

[kypez]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

How is it working out for Honda?

Worked well for Subaru with the BRZ. And other manufacturers have had no issues with the direct to customer model.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

How is it working out for Honda?

I think Honda's problem is they've had an expensive and ****ty line up for the last 15 years

[vbomber]

F150 ad just appeared on the foxtel F1 coverage

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Sorry, however if those dealers were able to survive before now and still stay in business, I don't think there is any justification for today outright gouging customers just because they can. And if correct that some markups are in the multiple 10's of thousands then Ford has a duty to protect it's potential buyers and avoid buyer backlash because a customer going to another brand doesn't help the dealer or the manufacturer.

The dealership landscape has changed a lot in the last 5 years.

1) Their finance commissions are now capped on car finance which took a huge chunk of their profit margin.
2) While they are selling cars at full till a lot of the discounting we used to see was manufacturer incentives.
3) They are also selling less volume due to manufacturing delays and trading less cars in, which means less turn over.
4) Dealers are paying a lot more for their used cars / trade ins which has hurt their used car bottom line.
5) Manufacturers are reducing new car margins. Ford did this with Ranger to keep the price steady they took some of the dealership margin out. This is why some dealers are now quoting 3 - 5k dealer delivery.


So while profit on new cars is up, overall turnover of stock and used car shortages / premium prices haven't made the grass any greener. The only dealerships that are really firing are the ones with real estate portfolios.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by Smoke Pursuit

The dealership landscape has changed a lot in the last 5 years.

1) Their finance commissions are now capped on car finance which took a huge chunk of their profit margin.

So as they are still in business at the reduced commissions we can assume they we're gouging before?

Originally Posted by Smoke Pursuit

2) While they are selling cars at full till a lot of the discounting we used to see was manufacturer incentives.

I think it would be fair to say excess inventory contributed to the need for incentives and therefore with reduced inventory not only goes incentives but also the costs with keeping inventory so its not all negative for them.

Originally Posted by Smoke Pursuit

3) They are also selling less volume due to manufacturing delays and trading less cars in, which means less turn over.

Less turnover would require less staff and the associated costs I would think?

Originally Posted by Smoke Pursuit

4) Dealers are paying a lot more for their used cars / trade ins which has hurt their used car bottom line.

But thats all relevant, they then onsell them to wholesalers at a higher amount who then put them in used yards at the higher amounts we see advertised.

Originally Posted by Smoke Pursuit

5) Manufacturers are reducing new car margins. Ford did this with Ranger to keep the price steady they took some of the dealership margin out. This is why some dealers are now quoting 3 - 5k dealer delivery.

So they are gouging the customer to reclaim their profit margins in lost commission and lower turnover whilst ignoring the decreased overheads.

Originally Posted by Smoke Pursuit

So while profit on new cars is up, overall turnover of stock and used car shortages / premium prices haven't made the grass any greener. The only dealerships that are really firing are the ones with real estate portfolios.

Oh well.

[Franco Cozzo]

I reckon they should **** off all the sales staff at dealerships, just have a workshop, with a few test drive models/loan cars and if you want to buy a new car you go into the workshop with the display models/loan cars and talk to a service advisor who can do both the service advisor side and the limited sales side, then buy it online and the car gets delivered to your house next business day.

Everything is fixed price, costs the same no matter which dealership you buy it from, prices fixed by Ford Australia. The only discounts applicable for a retail customer would be if someone wants to buy one of the display cars/loan cars when they come up to be turned over.

The less humans you have processing basic transactions the less your overheads are, people are expensive when you can have computers doing the work for you and you're better off finding efficiencies through processes rather than throwing more humans at it.

I think in my life the two worst consumer experiences have always been dealing with TAFE administration staff and car dealership sales staff - its such a grating experience buying a new car dealing with flogs who know less about their range than you do, everything seems to be done with printed pieces of paper on someones desk and phone calls.

Even if you still want to offer the oldskool car sales 'experience' there should be the option for those of us who just want our new car yesterday without jumping through all the hoops.

Why can't I just go to Ford Australia's website, put in my card details and tomorrow the car rocks up in my driveway? If its not in stock somewhere then I should be able to have tracking on its progress from where it is in the production queue, to when its on the ship, to where the ship is on the ocean and where it is when it lands on our shores.

Offer both models, the 'agency'/'reseller' model that exists as we know it today and the ability to buy direct out of Ford Australia online with fixed pricing.