Ford packs it in

[5teve]

Falcon had 5 star ANCAP rating from 2008 or so, so the generalised catchup argument is a bit moot

 

[Liam_snorkel]

What's the bet Tony Abbott blames it on the carbon tax.

I think that's a long bow to draw, even for him.

Clearly refugees are to blame.

haha, Sophie Mirabella was first to the post.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/carbon-tax-a-factor-in-ford-exit-lib-mp/story-fni0xqi4-1226649179295

 

[matho]

Saw an ad on tv last night stating that the "new2013 Commodore" has now got a 5 star ANCAP safety.

No wonder these Aus manufacturers are on the skids. Hayundai and many others have had this rating for a few years now.....maybe just a bit too late to play catch up.

um

http://www.ancap.com.au/crashtestrecord?Id=474

 

[DU99]

a guy i work with has just return from the US of A and he was saying all you see is imports from asia or europe,no more yank tanks...

 

[Clutch]

But if Holden shut down, what will I stick my Chev badge on?

Not fussed. Make decent cars that people want to buy.
Who knows, maybe cars will get cheaper, and the government will save some cash not propping up these dinosaurs.

 

[edschache]

Disclaimer: I'm a Toyota/Subaru guy....

Brief backstory: I recently had to take a quick weekend trip to country NSW. For this I flew to Sydney and hired a car. I would've been happy with a corolla but all hire companies have things that are "like a corolla". I decided for the several hours of country roads it was worth having a larger car. Only hiring for 2 days meant the difference in cost was fairly trivial. As such i went for a "Premium Large Sedan". I got a Falcon XR6.

All in all the car wasn't too bad. It went ok, the handling was ok and the economy was actually surprisingly good (our little Impreza is almost more thirsty). The problem was there were little things that had very little thought:
- There was no footrest for the drivers left foot, you could have the seat further forward so you could put it on the floor but then your right foot is awkward.
- The steering wheel controls for the audio let you change volume and mode (AM/FM/CD etc) but not track/channel.
- The bluetooth only does phone calls not audio streaming.
- The buttons for changing the information on the dashboard are on either side of the steering wheel where they are obscured from vision.
- To change the dash display you had to use the menu system which involved the buttons on both sides of the steering wheel, you can't do it one handed and shouldn't do it while driving.
- Something with the cruise control was strange... don't remember what
- etc... (I'm sure there were more but they allude me atm)

I honestly think that the XR6 is 95% of the way to being a decent car but all the little things let it down after all the hard part has been done. In a lot of cases the fixes for these issues have a fairly low per unit cost, with some of them (e.g. software/moving controls) having no per unit cost.

I think the thought that goes into the details on Subarus and Toyotas are a massive part of their success. You get in a model you've never driven before and things are generally where you expect them to be, work intuitively and have the features you want. At least that's been the case in all the ones I've driven. Yes both companies have made their mistakes but they've learnt from them.

As with websites (what I do for a crust) I think user experience (UX) is as important as functionality when it comes to getting value from a product/solution.

As per usual - this is just my opinion, feel free to rip it to shreds with evidence to the contrary

 

[Econwatson]

- There was no footrest for the drivers left foot, you could have the seat further forward so you could put it on the floor but then your right foot is awkward.

They should have made it a manual.

 

[mrTbeer]

Sad reality check for Aussie Industry.
Seriously though neither Ford or Holden make a full range of cars that people want.
This article had a list of top10 sales. No Falcons or Commodores on that list.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-23/ford-to-close-geelong-and-broadmeadows-plants/4707960

Also quotes 1Aussie cost = 2x cost of Europe = 4x cost of Asia.

 

[Camo6]

Falcon had 5 star ANCAP rating from 2008 or so, so the generalised catchup argument is a bit moot

And the FG surpassed all European safety ratings which weren't as thorough as our own at the time.

They probably will suffer because their models are unimpressive. Same thing happened to Mistsubishi and Nissan. They were kept alive by handouts but were on the way out anyway due to their dreadful range of models. Anyone for a 380 or a Nissan Tiida ?

Fast forward and look at a company like Hyundai with their impressive i-range, a model for every niche. Ford has little comparable to offer and all imported anyway. Fiesta and Focus. End of story.

Edit: the current Mondeo actually has virtually the same wheelbase as the falcon, actually a tad more and with its front wheel drive config, is as roomy as a Falcon inside. Next door's got one, I keep thinking it's a falcon anyway whenever I see him driving in.

Gotta disagree with some of your points Bribie G. Ford Australia's vehicles have advanced dramatically over the last five to ten years. I'll be the first to agree that the AU was an ugly pig of a car but mechanically they're reliable buggers. There's a reason most taxi's are falcons and not dunny doors. But the FG was a marvel for the Australian motor industry. Very safe, very reliable and stylish to boot. Admittedly the Territory took about six years to iron out it's problems but the SZ has been virtually trouble free. And it's closest rival is Korean crap.

Ford Australia is also one of the only companies to successfully engineer and produce LPG liquid injection. Holden had a go but couldn't get it to work so stuck with vapour injection and labelled it 'safer.'

I'd rather own a falcon or territory or even a commodore :unsure: over most imported vehicles. Some of the quality of parts may not be as good as a lot of imports but they're less expensive and more accessible. And most of these imported cars aren't designed for longevity or for Australian conditions.

I agree that the Mondeo is a very nice vehicle. Very comfortable, very safe and fuel efficient, but with over 30 (expensive) electronic modules running the show I'd hate to own one outside of warranty. That and replacing tyres every 30,000k.

I think one of Ford's biggest problems towards sales is there lack of advertising in recent years. They were making great advancements but weren't getting it out there. Obviously it's not the root of the problem but it certainly didn't help selling cars.

Sorry for the rant and I'm not trying to start a debate. I work for a large Ford dealer so I guess I'm biased! Probably chose the wrong day to stay home and look after sick kids! I doubt my job will be severely impacted though and I feel for all Australian motor industry employees whose jobs are at risk.

The government should have stepped in long ago. Cash injections were wasted. Interest free sales incentives would have done a lot more towards selling cars. I believe Toyota employed similar methods when entering the American market and it worked for them.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

- The steering wheel controls for the audio let you change volume and mode (AM/FM/CD etc) but not track/channel

Are you sure? My BF SR had all audio controls on the steering wheel - CD change, mode, track and volume. Left hand side IIRC.

I owned a BA and BF both back to back. I thought they were good cars, and I know the missus misses (no pun intended) the BF. She drives our cars more than I do (she's the taxi). She misses the fact that they were so torquey and the comfort of the seats.

I now own a Suzuki 4WD (owing to an extra addition to the family). It's a 2.7L V6. It uses more than the 4L I6 of our old Falcon. It is less comfortable inside than the BA (which was the same year).

I'm quite attached to our Suzi now - it's fun for doing some offroading, handles anything thrown at it roadwise (great in Brissie with the Beiruet bomb sized potholes throughout the inner-north) and holds all the kids.

But I do miss the Falcon, and I rate them as a great car to drive.

For the record, I'm not particularly a Ford man (though I'm not mad on Holdens - mainly the bogan/hoon element and now the fact that most of them are Daewoos rebadged, but they pulled Daewoo out and still rave on about "Holden quality"). I've owned 2 Volvos, a Toyota Starlet (now, there's a good quality maker, but damn the Camry has a funny drive position) and a Mazda.

Part of the issue I see is stigma that the Falcon isn't as good quality as other cars, even if it isn't true, and part of it is Ford's inept business acumen and marketing.

 

[dicko]

Falcon had 5 star ANCAP rating from 2008 or so, so the generalised catchup argument is a bit moot

um

http://www.ancap.com.au/crashtestrecord?Id=474

My most humblest of apologies for misrepresenting Holden on a beer brewing forum, but I only quoted what "they" quoted on the add and it was made to sound like this 5 star rating was a super feature on their newest piece of junk 2013 model Commodore..

I run my own business and I have had both Ford and Holden (as in Falcon/Commodore derivatives) commercial vehicles and I have found they are not a patch on imported vehicles for cost and reliability.
I was a Ford man for many years and I am a mechanic by trade (be that a long time ago) and I gave up on Ford when I bought a new one and it was constantly in the dealer for repair. It was the old story, just out of warranty and it breaks down on the side of the road so I get to a regular repairer and he fixes it for $450.00 and that solved all the electrical problems that I had been having for 12 months.
Both Holden and Falcon 1 tonners cost thousands of dollars more than their imported competition and this must be factored in when buying for business.
I say goodbye to Ford and hopefully soon to Holden. I am sick of my hard earned tax money going to these companies who then, after receiving these handouts, cut shifts, or retrench the workers, and then 12 months later stand there again with their hand out for more money.
I am all for industry and jobs in this country but these dodgy business practices from these Big Two are coming to an end. It is just a shame it affects the component manufacturers as well.
Rant over

Cheers

 

[mrTbeer]

That news also means the end of the Aussie UTE.
Ford invented it, HSV morphed it into something that can't handle a concrete driveway crossover and can't carry 1/2 tonne.

 

[Bribie G]

My Mazda2 is coming up seven years old in December. It is in perfect condition and everything works as it should, it doesn't use oil between changes and has travelled widely, Cairns, Brisbane to Sydney about 12 times, Dubbo, used as a commuter for a few years. Now it's enjoying its Autumn years just choofing around Old Bar / Taree with the odd trip up to Port or down to Newcastle.

When my last Falcon was seven years old, the auto had fallen apart and needed replacing for $4k, the airconditioning condensor is still somewhere by the side of the road near Charters Towers, didn't bother as the air con hadn't worked for 3 years anyway. It was onto its second radiator, third set of mufflers, water pump, starter motor, alternator, wiper motor, and it was starting to blow smoke as well as the metallic paint rotting off the roof and bonnet.

Now Mazda and Ford (edit: were during the production of both vehicles) under the same corporate Umbrella so I can only put the inferior build of the Falcon down to poor practice and systems in the Australian factory.

View attachment 62232

Edit: I see Ford has divested most of its interest in Mazda.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

It's funny seeing Bribie's little beast with NSW plates on it.

My Suzi is due for Tas plates in about a month (and I'll love paying a lot less for rego this time around).

 

[super_simian]

A blind man on a galloping horse can see there's something pretty fucked with the way our country is being run.

seriously..... we have this running the show: Why am i not suprised.

Stop the press, new headline "PM FOUND TO BE DISTURBINGLY HUMAN: Single misstep spells the end of Australian economy."

I mean how can we trust someone who made a momentary lapse in concentration to be constantly vigilant scanning the shoreline for hordes of boat-people, here to steal our jobs and rape our women and destroy our manufacturing industry? HOW. WILL SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN. (The white ones obviously. And not the ones with two dads. Or mums. Or vegetarians.) No wonder this country has gone to the dogs. You can't even beat your wife these days without an OHS review...

 

[Camo6]

Now that I can agree with Bribie G. I work on Fords everyday but own a Toyota and a Mazda. I also rate them ( in that order) as the two most reliable mainstream car makes in the current market. My 80 series has clocked over 370,000kms and pedestrians still slide right off.

I think the secret to buying a reliable car is not to buy one built on a Friday.

 

[Nick JD]

This article had a list of top10 sales. No Falcons or Commodores on that list.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-23/ford-to-close-geelong-and-broadmeadows-plants/4707960

Also quotes 1Aussie cost = 2x cost of Europe = 4x cost of Asia.

I have the number 1 car on that list. Just did the 20K oil change. Best car I've ever owned.

Getting 6.9L/100km combined.

 

[manticle]

constantly vigilant scanning the shoreline for hordes of boat-people, here to steal our jobs and rape our women and destroy our manufacturing industry?

This is a local country for local people. There's nothing for you here.



Wanted to find the first scene from episode 1 but it doesn't seem to be available.

'Rape our dead mouths................smear poor Tubbs here with excrement.............'

 

[Bridges]

And Abbot is going to run the show better??? WTF... How will he save ford or holden. All he wants to do is roll back the mining tax and the carbon tax for his rich mates and "look at the G.S.T." You don't even need to read betwwen the lines to know this means RAISING IT! Slug the little bloke not the big bloke seems to be the coalition way. Pollies enjoy 15% super we get 9% Labour wants to get this to 12% and again the coalition want it to be capped at 9% Coalition wants to tax peoples super when they earn less than 37K a year so the pittance the low income earners get to put away for their retirement is pinched by the govt. Whereas labour will not tax the income of low income earners. Yeah labor are not great but Abbot bringing back work choices scares the pants off me. It should also scare any one in this coutry not earning a Gina Rhinehart type wage.
Sorry rant over.

 

[Bridges]

Wow I think I just need to relax and have a beer...