Vfacts For August 2009

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by Boss315

I completely agree with respect to keeping customers loyal to the brand. If Ford successfully builds vehicles according to the following philosophy they’ll have no trouble:

Irresistible Design
Great to sit in, great to drive
Sustainability
Innovation and Technology
Built to Last

You just dont get the point!!

Add to your list

Buying experience
Servicing experience.


You'll get first time buyers with your list, but without my ones you wont get second time buyers!! And this is where Ford can improve!!

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Boss315

Mondeo – Camry is built in Australia and sold primarily to Fleets, it won’t be beaten by an import. If you look at private sales Mondeo’s not far behind Accord Euro, Mazda 6 or Liberty, all great cars.

Also funny enough the mid size car segment doesn't grow or shrink (while the Large market is falling and the small market has been getting bigger) it stays stagnate.

[GT69]

I really don't get this whole dealer/servicing bashing. what do people want a knob job from the head dealer guy or something to make their sales somewhat more special? God i'd hate to see you lot buying a house......realestates want your money and f off. thats it. nothing special. Somehow you want royal treatment while buying a car? I just don't get it.

and the servicing? sure it could get better......so could everything, if your that irrate about it, take your car to someone YOU want to service the car.....

I think ford sales are going reasonably well.

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

You just dont get the point!!

Add to your list

Buying experience
Servicing experience.


You'll get first time buyers with your list, but without my ones you wont get second time buyers!! And this is where Ford can improve!!

What people seem to forget is that Holden have one of the worst buying/servicing experiences. I know people that work/worked at Holden dealerships and customers yet Holden still seem to sell a lot. Although sales have gone down a little bit over the last couple of years.

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by GT69

I really don't get this whole dealer/servicing bashing. what do people want a knob job from the head dealer guy or something to make their sales somewhat more special? God i'd hate to see you lot buying a house......realestates want your money and f off. thats it. nothing special. Somehow you want royal treatment while buying a car? I just don't get it.

and the servicing? sure it could get better......so could everything, if your that irrate about it, take your car to someone YOU want to service the car.....

I think ford sales are going reasonably well.

Got to agree with you there, a good "driving experience" will over ride any bad "buying" or "service" experience...
Smart People swap dealers because of bad buying or service experience, not brands....

[ehast13]

The after sales service may not matter to much to us car guys (or gals) but to many people, a car is an appliance.

I have Fisher and Paykell appliances in my house becasue they have better after sales service than comparably priced competitors (No, I don't work for them). Their service has been excellent and they never blame me when I break something, they have standard call-out fees and their reps are always in uniform, show photo I.D and take their shoes off when they come inside.

I've only dealt with them a couple of times, but they were so much better than LG towards my wife and I, that we always stick with Fisher and Paykell.

Ford Servicing has always been a let down compared to Toyota. In 1971, I bought a brand new phase 3. The bonnet was ill fitting, so I asked them to adjust the bonnet. They belted the hinges with a hammer!

In 1988 My new Ea s pack had the head gasket go while still under warranty. I had to go thru hell and high water with Ford as they tried to suggest it was my fault. It wasn't, they had the car for weeks and it came back filthy.

My new AU XR6 had plastic bits fallout of it everywhere, the ABS kept failing etc. I was so dissapointed with the service. They treated me like an afterthought.

I am sure that these are isolated incidents, but if I wasn't a ford freak I may not have kept buying new falcons. fairmonts, fairlanes and F100's.

In comparison, My wife's new cars have included a 1974 Toyota crown, 1983 supra, 2003 avalon etc. In over 35 years I have never had an unpleasant experience with a toyota dealer. Same with Volvo and Mercedes.

Peugoet was the worst, tho.

My wife isn't interested in driving a ford. She always remembers the shoddy service and will always tell people how awful it was (despite fact there has really been only a few over the past 40 years). SHe loves her toyotas and volvos and mercedes.

I wanted a last of the line Fairlane but she didn't want a Ford. She likes the way the GT looks but considers it a step down from an Avalon!

Even one bad experience can cost, not only a return buyer, buyers who hear of the negative experiences will consider that when buying too.

It's not fair, but it is an area where we can learn from Toyota. They might not have the passion, but the product rarely fails and if it does, the dealers must follow the Japanese ethos.

I am an enthusiast. My wife isn't. Most of my co-workers glaze over when I discuss shaved heads, high lift cams and Allan Moffat.

These people work, earn money and buy cars to get them to and from work, to the shops, with air-con at full blast and no dramas at service time.

[snappy]

As mentioned in thread allready i think its a combination of things and varies for different models

Falcon - This is the one i have no idea about (dont even see taxi's companys buying them) Heard the fg is remarkable for a family sedan
Falcon ute - Not tough enough for work , unreliable which results in to many days off for tradesman they have burnt alot of brides over the the last few years. ( Then usually deny you warranty)
Territory- Same problem poor engineering , all though great car it has been over shadowed by it brake problems/ball joints . Unsafe family car will never do well. Ford handled it very poorly in full public view
Fiesta - Just not sure if the design has been sucessful in oz( good little car though)
Focus - Dont know much about them . Have no interst dot know anyone that has one.
Ford ranger - In My opinion Ugliest full 4wd type truck on the market , give me a hilux ,navara,triton any day .

These are a few things i think are causing a few issues at present , I haven't tried to sugar coat it . They are problems i hear an discuss with people off these forums .
Also with all the known problems with some models its still very hard for people to make warranty claims . If ford are not careful the will end up with popularty of telstra to the general public

[GT69]

I disagree with you snappy. The FG ute is becoming the favoured option for tradies. normally in tray back form, but theres a few style side XR's getting onto sites now. Wont topple the hilux anytime soon, but it's starting to gather momentum. Alot of blokes are very much impressed with the handling on the FG over the VE or B series, the interior updates have gone down well as well.

[snappy]

Originally Posted by GT69

I disagree with you snappy. The FG ute is becoming the favoured option for tradies. normally in tray back form, but theres a few style side XR's getting onto sites now. Wont topple the hilux anytime soon, but it's starting to gather momentum. Alot of blokes are very much impressed with the handling on the FG over the VE or B series, the interior updates have gone down well as well.

I have seen quite a few fg coming on to the sites aswell but i have allready meet a handful of guys that are allready getting rid of them . Once word of this gets around it will have a impact.

[ehast13]

Well, lets keep it quiet then. . . . .

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by snappy84

As mentioned in thread allready i think its a combination of things and varies for different models

Falcon - This is the one i have no idea about (dont even see taxi's companys buying them) Heard the fg is remarkable for a family sedan
Falcon ute - Not tough enough for work , unreliable which results in to many days off for tradesman they have burnt alot of brides over the the last few years. ( Then usually deny you warranty)
Territory- Same problem poor engineering , all though great car it has been over shadowed by it brake problems/ball joints . Unsafe family car will never do well. Ford handled it very poorly in full public view
Fiesta - Just not sure if the design has been sucessful in oz( good little car though)
Focus - Dont know much about them . Have no interst dot know anyone that has one.
Ford ranger - In My opinion Ugliest full 4wd type truck on the market , give me a hilux ,navara,triton any day .

These are a few things i think are causing a few issues at present , I haven't tried to sugar coat it . They are problems i hear an discuss with people off these forums .
Also with all the known problems with some models its still very hard for people to make warranty claims . If ford are not careful the will end up with popularty of telstra to the general public

Snappy, going by your own admittance you pretty much have NFI about anything... so in that context why did you actually bother to post anything??

[DanielXR8]

Originally Posted by flappist

Apparently they have found that a number of people who state that they are Ford supporters and enthusiasts are never be satisfied with anything Ford do and constantly complain and nitpick about everything.

They are currently studying Holden enthusiasts to see if the fact that Holden enthusiasts talk up Holden products and the company regardless of how bad they are while Ford enthusiasts constantly talk down Ford products and the company regardless of how good they are has anything to Holden selling more than Ford......

Thats no way to talk about Ford dealers.

[DanielXR8]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Got to agree with you there, a good "driving experience" will over ride any bad "buying" or "service" experience...
Smart People swap dealers because of bad buying or service experience, not brands....

Umm no to the first point - not everyone is so wild about cars that they forgive practically anything done to them, because of a nice drive around the block in the new model, or so brand loyal they forgive everything.

And "smart people" don't all live within cooee of a few Ford dealers so choosing another is not always a viable option.

Dan

[ehast13]

good point

[snappy]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Snappy, going by your own admittance you pretty much have NFI about anything... so in that context why did you actually bother to post anything??

Orignally i was not going to post anything , But gtp006 did ask me what i thought , Being friday night and i was tired and cranky and it does reflect in my post. But anyways
I didn't post anything that i dont think is a issue .
But your right 4vman i dont know exactly why and probly never will. But bieng a public forum i am entitled to to express my opinion . Just like you have the right to no to read it or have a shot at me if you dont like what i wrote. Fair enough

[Nikked]

Holden Cruze: Proof that a lion badge could sell Feces to a treatment works.

[TE029]

Here Here, The "Lion" have recently been placing there faith in a manufacturer (Daewoo) that if i remember correctly not too long ago abandoned all there existing customers when they pulled out of Aus and went back to Korea to continue making microwaves and Bobcats...

What did this do to the resale of their vehicles... Cheapest late model cars in Aus...

But i am sure now the same product has a well known and supposedly well backed Badge it will sell like hotcakes....

[Bossxr8]

FG has continued to take back market share from Commodore, so although its not outselling it its taking back some ground. If Ford continue this trend it will eventually catch up.

FG sedans must be outselling VE sedans. Its just the extra volume of the Sportswagon that is keeping Commodore in the game, but its stealing VE sedan sales as well though.

[cosmo20btt]

Originally Posted by TE029

Here Here, The "Lion" have recently been placing there faith in a manufacturer (Daewoo) that if i remember correctly not too long ago abandoned all there existing customers when they pulled out of Aus and went back to Korea to continue making microwaves and Bobcats...

What did this do to the resale of their vehicles... Cheapest late model cars in Aus...

But i am sure now the same product has a well known and supposedly well backed Badge it will sell like hotcakes....

There is know way known any normal Australian would purchase a Daewoo for the money they they want for it the Cruze if it still had a daewoo badge on it, so it does go to show just how easily fooled the average joe can be. I think it is a sad day to come to realize how misled we can be.

[Watto_Cobra]

I passed a Toll car transporter on the way to work today.

It had on it:
1x Territory (didn't see what type)
1x FPV GS Ute (in Nitro)
5x FG Sedans, all G6Es (don't know if T or not) and XR6Ts.
0x FG XT _2:

I know it was only one truck but it seems to back up what's been said about the model mix Ford is selling, that being mostly higher-profit G6E/XR6.

[atec77]

Originally Posted by whales

If Ford ever needed a diesel engine for the Territory it is now.
It is killing them in sales by not having the diesel option,

What Ford needs is a mid level wagon , many of us hate the territory and I would sell the ss in a heartbeat to aquire a small falcon style wagon be it straight or v6 with 6 speed auto

[dallasv8]

i think with the next falcon coming out with the 4 banger etc and holden not doing anything to the commode styling wise,maybe ford will grab some more market share.lets just hope that 4 banger works in the falcon.

but with the way carsguide etc go, they will probably still bag out the falcon and praise the unchanged commode as they always do...

i do like how ford targets toyota in the adds on tv now

[RATT]

Originally Posted by atec77

What Ford needs is a mid level wagon , many of us hate the territory and I would sell the ss in a heartbeat to aquire a small falcon style wagon be it straight or v6 with 6 speed auto

That would be a Mondeo?
A six would be pointless with Falcon wagon around.