Would you buy a discounted Holden?

[prydey]

I thought this deserved it's own thread as I'm semi genuine about the thought of buying one.

Possible discounts are just rumour at this stage via a confidential dealer memo leaked to a car news outlet.

If we believe that Holden (GM) are serious about keeping some dealerships open for servicing and honouring the 10 year parts supply and also the service and warranty agreements, then there seems very little risk (on the surface) in buying a 'fire sale' car.

Obviously the resale will suck but I was thinking more of a long term purchase. A new Astra rumoured to be about $13k drive away would be a good buy I think. Good little shopping trolley for the wife or first car for the daughter.

It all hinges on whether or not GM will honour their word, and their track record isn't great in this regard.

Would you?

This is not about bagging the brand or what could have been. Keep that for the other thread.

[anobserver]

As an economical daily driver, i tend to think the idea has merit. Youve already covered the lack of resale issue, but for the cheaper runabouts its of less relevance. A much cheaper purchase price cuts the depreciation cost, which is one of the biggest elements of total ownership cost.

Servicing may require some travel, but that depends entirely on where you live in relation to the nearest service centre, which likely hasnt been determined yet.

Might be a gamble worth taking.

[bigwil]

Originally Posted by prydey

I thought this deserved it's own thread as I'm semi genuine about the thought of buying one.

Possible discounts are just rumour at this stage via a confidential dealer memo leaked to a car news outlet.

If we believe that Holden (GM) are serious about keeping some dealerships open for servicing and honouring the 10 year parts supply and also the service and warranty agreements, then there seems very little risk (on the surface) in buying a 'fire sale' car.

Obviously the resale will suck but I was thinking more of a long term purchase. A new Astra rumoured to be about $13k drive away would be a good buy I think. Good little shopping trolley for the wife or first car for the daughter.

It all hinges on whether or not GM will honour their word, and their track record isn't great in this regard.

Would you?

This is not about bagging the brand or what could have been. Keep that for the other thread.

if you dont mind holdens then $13000 is a great price for an astra

[.:4:.]

What i see happening is similar to when daewoo left. Any parts, warrenties etc were honored by holden. Granted both brands were under the same umbrella. So gm effectively backing out of the country i can see them striking a deal with another manufacturer just for parts, service and warrenty issues. As for the discounted vehicles, for the private buyer who sells up when the warrenty is up, i see it not a bad deal. Companies who update their fleets every few years will snap up the cheap colorados etc. As for people like myself who keep a car until it costs more in repairs per year then rego and insurance costs, i personally would not take the risk as the car will probably be fine until all support like parts etc dry up and with a lot of models not really selling well in the first place, wrecker parts will be few and far between.

[prydey]

Log book servicing doesn't need a dealer to keep warranty but even still it's generally only once a year on most cars these days.

Not sure what stock levels are like at most dealerships but I'd imagine at these rumoured deals they won't last long.

[BENT_8]

I spoke to the Wife about it, she said she'd be happy to move the Picanto on for a Trax.
I wonder if their doing deals now or closer to the end of the year.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

I spoke to the Wife about it, she said she'd be happy to move the Picanto on for a Trax.
I wonder if their doing deals now or closer to the end of the year.

March onwards I heard.

https://www.caradvice.com.au/827940/holden-discounts-2/

[dunga]

They will probably auction them with no warranty.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by dunga

They will probably auction them with no warranty.

I didn't think buying at auction absolved the manufacturer of their warranty obligations. Only the seller.

[dunga]

Originally Posted by prydey

I didn't think buying at auction absolved the manufacturer of their warranty obligations. Only the seller.

Who in their right mind would buy 1 do you think the dealers are going to buy them after being craped on by gm and then warrant them for 7 years. Within 12 months they will just be a memory no parts and warranty and what legal recourse will you have under consumer law if they have gone out of business they would have to be almost giving them away to take the risk.

[fiestaz]

Most of holdens range are not bad cars. Pretty good in fact. Special mention for Colorado, Astra and commodore. So why not, you’ll get a decent car, cheap, warranty, and it will last a long time. It’s not like they are the rubbish Daewoos of the past anymore.

[lra]

I would be, if I needed a new car, which I don't.
Resale/trade-in value for somebody who changes cars often is going to be terrible, but for some-one who drives their car into the ground over a long period, good value, if (insert many reasons here...………….)

[xr8territory]

I would watch the youtube video on AutoExpert before making a decision to purchase a discounted Holden.
John Cadogan is mad as a meat axe but he does dissect the whole thing very well.

[anobserver]

As a private buyer, id have no issue holding a car the length of the warranty period. A stock of consumable items is mandated required by the seller.

The length of the warranty, nothing else should be needed.......### crosses fingers#### Near or at warranty end, trade and start again.

The biggest threat to this plan is accident or unexpected wear and tear not covered by warranty. Some parts may be hard or expensive to find...and then the cost advantage is lost.

[anobserver]

Originally Posted by anobserver

As a private buyer, id have no issue holding a car the length of the warranty period. A stock of consumable items is mandated required by the seller.

The length of the warranty, nothing else should be needed.......### crosses fingers#### Near or at warranty end, trade and start again.

The biggest threat to this plan is accident or unexpected wear and tear not covered by warranty. Some parts may be hard or expensive to find...and then the cost advantage is lost.

Since then i've talked with the mechanic that maintains our car. His opinion was straight forward: dont touch with barge pole, based largely on observations about mechanical quality and reliability (ie lack thereof).

[Mulva]

Originally Posted by xr8territory

I would watch the youtube video on AutoExpert before making a decision to purchase a discounted Holden.
John Cadogan is mad as a meat axe but he does dissect the whole thing very well.

Can I choose to repeatedly slam my cock in a car door instead of watch one of his videos?

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by Mulva

Can I choose to repeatedly slam my cock in a car door instead of watch one of his videos?

It's a free world

[MercuryT]

Yes if a Ford Territory

[MercuryT]

Oh sorry. Wrong thread.

Thought good car chat

[Crazy Dazz]

Oh yes, "Leaked"
Keep in mind that dealers are the masters at turning anything into a profit...

I'm sure that the media and advertising will abound with tales of the great deals they're doing, but then when you get there you'll find the "massive savings" are off the list price, that nobody has been selling them at anyway. And then they'll tell you how they have no stock left, and will have to work extra hard to try and find you a car, and of course you have to sign today or you will miss out.

A lot of dealers are part of groups. If its a good yard and showrooms, it will simply be repurposed, and even at worts if the yard closes they'll just move their stock to another yard. Most of these groups are holding squillions in used-car stocks, so the last thing they want to do is crap all-over that.

I suspect the only way you will get a decent genuine savings is if Holden offers "cash back", otherwise any discount they offer on stock will be mostly snaffled by the dealers.

But, like anything, shop around.
If the best deal you can get on a similarly equipt i30 is $X, and you can get the Astra for $2k less, go for it.

Warranty wise, I imagine they will contract those out to another network. (When Saab went under, their warranty obligations were assigned to Holden.)

As for Parts, meh. If there is demand for parts, somebody will stock them. And worst case, hop on the interwebs and buy them from Europe.

[Adamz Ghia]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Oh yes, "Leaked"
Keep in mind that dealers are the masters at turning anything into a profit...

I'm sure that the media and advertising will abound with tales of the great deals they're doing, but then when you get there you'll find the "massive savings" are off the list price, that nobody has been selling them at anyway. And then they'll tell you how they have no stock left, and will have to work extra hard to try and find you a car, and of course you have to sign today or you will miss out.

A lot of dealers are part of groups. If its a good yard and showrooms, it will simply be repurposed, and even at worts if the yard closes they'll just move their stock to another yard. Most of these groups are holding squillions in used-car stocks, so the last thing they want to do is crap all-over that.

I suspect the only way you will get a decent genuine savings is if Holden offers "cash back", otherwise any discount they offer on stock will be mostly snaffled by the dealers.

But, like anything, shop around.
If the best deal you can get on a similarly equipt i30 is $X, and you can get the Astra for $2k less, go for it.

Warranty wise, I imagine they will contract those out to another network. (When Saab went under, their warranty obligations were assigned to Holden.)

As for Parts, meh. If there is demand for parts, somebody will stock them. And worst case, hop on the interwebs and buy them from Europe.

Even if it’s off the list price, if the rumoured $17,500 saving off a Colorado is true that would take an auto LTZ to around $40,000. That’s not bad buying at all.

[bathurst77]

carsguide has calais tourer with under 2k on the clock for 30
thats tempting

[CyberWasp]

Has anyone ever found where the stash of non sold vehicles is, and how many are there?

[xr8territory]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Has anyone ever found where the stash of non sold vehicles is, and how many are there?

There are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of cars at Kembla Grange, just south of Wollongong. Mostly look to be VW but must be other brands in there.

[IanC]

Looking on Gumtree before the closure announcement I saw 2018 build 2019 Commodore wagons going for $30,000 with less than 100km on the clock. So that is basically a two year old vehicle which has been sitting in a paddock for those two years. That won't do it any good. The discount would have to be much bigger than that to tempt me. Perhaps if it was $20,000 I could be interested. If the dealers are going to keep the discounts and only offer peanuts off I won't be buying. My guess is the dealers will try it on but it won't work and people won't buy until the discounts are really big.

[xr8territory]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Has anyone ever found where the stash of non sold vehicles is, and how many are there?

I just spoke to a person who works at the Kembla Grange facility at Wollongong and they stated that they currently have 8000 vehicles with a capacity to store 12000.

[CyberWasp]

Originally Posted by xr8territory

I just spoke to a person who works at the Kembla Grange facility at Wollongong and they stated that they currently have 8000 vehicles with a capacity to store 12000.

I am surprised that none of the motoring web sites have revealed this and it has been kept hush.
Some drone shots of all the Holdens sitting there would draw attention to their site if published.
It is not like Holden has any advertising they can withdraw or anything now.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by xr8territory

I just spoke to a person who works at the Kembla Grange facility at Wollongong and they stated that they currently have 8000 vehicles with a capacity to store 12000.

Do those Numbers refer to Holden ? or the Facility in general..??

[xr8territory]

Originally Posted by hayseed

Do those Numbers refer to Holden ? or the Facility in general..??

I should have been clearer. All manufacturers in general. I was referencing my earlier post that there was ‘hundreds’ of cars stored there, not just Holdens.

There is another large facility at Campbelltown that also has thousands stored there.
I guess if cars are not selling they have to store them somewhere.

[hayseed]

https://www.theguardian.com/business...flow-to-buyers