another 440 jobs to go at Ford

[KIWI-1]

Originally Posted by No.6

I agree...Gimmicky electric crap is what is selling cars. Im part of the generation that grew up with Ipods, Iphones, Wireless PC's, Touchscreen monitors, Multimedia networked televisions and PC's, Wii, Xbox Kinect...etc...and guess who is buying cars? My generation. If ford doesnt introduce these gimmicky things that come standard with Mondeo into the Falcon, I'm sorry to say but I wont be suprised if the Falcon drops from the lineup, resulting in more job losses.

You'll find it all in a new Hyundai from "the world's fastest growing car company".

Back in the 70's Todd Motors in NZ were facing similar oblivion with less than 5% of the market. John Todd set goal to increase market share to 15% within 5 years. Included in his strategy:

1. Build a new plant (at 17 acres the largest roof in the Southern hemisphere).
2. Assemble only 4-cylinder cars (Mitsubishi Mirage, Lancer, Sigma, Galant etc).
3. Introduce a new computer system for manufacturing and dealers.

We got to 21.5% (from memory). Maybe a lesson there for Ford of Australia?

[lv619]

Good luck to all Australian employees, however Ford HO in the states does not have their best interests in mind and unfortunately the falcon will become extinct in a few years just like the magna.

Good luck to all those involved, however I would be jumping the sinking ship asap.

[BaraFGXR6]

sad sad news :(

I know what its like to be on the receiving end of "job cuts". Moral must be pretty low there at the moment with all the bad press and now this.

Best of luck to all those involved and i hope Ford can get their act together before its too late.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Good point. Buyers flock to rubbish these days, cause who cares if its a good car or not, as long as its cheap and is full of gimmicky electric crap.

I'm not sure I agree with this.
I would understand if it were large sedans from some 3rd world country that fall apart selling well but that's not right. The sales indicate a shift from large sedans to SUV (look at the Territory sales, going well) and smaller vehicles (Focus and Fiesta).
Yes many are packed with electronic gizmos but referring to them as gimmicky is going a little far. Calling them rubbish? Sour grapes much?

These so called "gimmicks" are advances in the car industry. Would you call electronic fuel injection a gimmick? Climate control? Traction control? ABS? A MP3 player in a car may be considered gimmicky but what about a CD player? A tape deck? Still do advanced, how about a record player?
Just because you perceive a piece of technology as "gimmicky" doesn't mean that it is.

If it wasn't for the human constantly wanting to innovate and taking something (in this case a car) and believing they can do it better we'd be all in caves still. If technology isn't your thing then Ford did have a model for you. The Model T.

Whilst the Falcon and Commodore suffer from a market that has shifted the blame must be put with the companies. They're good cars but are about a generation behind, partly due to budgets partly due to lack of insight.

Instead of bagging other makes and their customers why not think about why these people have turned their back on the Falcon and Commodore?
Why is it that the general public should buy these cars? What makes them any more special to buy over anything else?

I do feel very sorry for the people that will lose their jobs. It is never a good thing to happen to anyone. Hopefully the company turns itself around and this time next year we're looking at positive PR and not reactive.

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Years back, Special value Packs were something offered in limited supply to attract buyers,
but now it seems unless Ford offers an XR6 with luxury pack for $34,990 the car is a huge FAIL.

And it's been ages since we've seen a Territory SR, maybe that would put some wood on the fire...

Just thinking what is doable at the moment to put bums on seats...

There is a new Limited Ed XR6 on the market out right now.. But no-one knows about it becuase Ford doesn't tell anyone!! I saw it on the Ford website about a week or 2 ago.. I thought I'd wait to see how long it would take to be mentioned here.. I still haven't seen anyone say a word about it. Not even Ford fans know this limited ed is out there, what hope does the general public have!!

[Joe5619]

I've just been to the Ford website.. There is even a limited ed territory!!!

[SpoolMan]

Originally Posted by BHDOGS

so when falcon leaves followed swifty by toyota then holden what industry will the news papers destroy next?

No Blue Blood likes to read headlines like that, but you can’t shoot/blame the messenger there only reporting what’s happing in the car industry, the fact is people need to buy Falcons and it just isn’t happing.
It’s up to the people of Australia to change the way they buy their new cars.

[big_landau]

anyone see the similarities
brothers in arms?

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by big_landau

anyone see the similarities
brothers in arms?

image]image[/URL]

image]image[/URL]

both nice cars!!! thou i'd take the ford one!!!!

[Geez Louise]

Reading the articles and listening to the news, Ford Australia have given employees from NOVEMBER to accept a payout. I just want to say that again...from November!

Yes it is a sorry state of affairs, however to me, they still have their employees in mind. Four months is a long time in anyone's language to find another position or to at least save a little money until another job can be found.

It could have been much worse and people could have been let go without any warning at all.

To any Ford employees that may actually be members of our great forum, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for the hours of work you have put in making these great cars. I wish all of you the very best.

Cheers
Col

[ieatsports_cars]

Well Said Geez Louise !

[Brazen]

They have to build another model, Ranger, Focus or Kuga - even Transit for the Asian Pacific region.

[FacultY]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

There is a new Limited Ed XR6 on the market out right now.. But no-one knows about it becuase Ford doesn't tell anyone!! I saw it on the Ford website about a week or 2 ago.. I thought I'd wait to see how long it would take to be mentioned here.. I still haven't seen anyone say a word about it. Not even Ford fans know this limited ed is out there, what hope does the general public have!!

Wow i didnt know this either. Just looked one up on carsales and they look very nice. Interior looks mint!

http://www.carsales.com.au/bncis/details/ford-falcon-2012-12951907?base=1216&vertical=Car&cr=7&eapi=2&__N=42 94676988+1246+1247+1252+1282+4294966463+4294966285 +1216&find=xr6%20limited%20edition|CarAll&silo=Sto ck&num=15&sort=default

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

No Blue Blood likes to read headlines like that, but you can’t shoot/blame the messenger there only reporting what’s happing in the car industry, the fact is people need to buy Falcons and it just isn’t happing.
It’s up to the people of Australia to change the way they buy their new cars.

Agreed..but.....

I would say it is up to Ford of Australia to communicate and provide cars in which people want. You cant expect people to buy just to save jobs, a car typically is a major purchase for most people and you cant change your preference out of loyalty or pity.

Everything that is happening is because of what previous decisions have been made, changed, altered and put on hold. The problem with FoA is that Ford NA dont really care, they will talk like they care but they dont walk.

[Shonky.]

Originally Posted by Geez Louise

Reading the articles and listening to the news, Ford Australia have given employees from NOVEMBER to accept a payout. I just want to say that again...from November!

Yes it is a sorry state of affairs, however to me, they still have their employees in mind. Four months is a long time in anyone's language to find another position or to at least save a little money until another job can be found.

It could have been much worse and people could have been let go without any warning at all.

To any Ford employees that may actually be members of our great forum, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for the hours of work you have put in making these great cars. I wish all of you the very best.

Cheers
Col

good call!!!

In my industry it is not unheard of for folks to get to work in the morning to have someone from HR holding a box of their stuff in one hand and an envelope in the other.

That said, to the workers, we love your work and know it is a **** time.

Hopefully the worm will turn soon

I disagree that the headline is acceptable though

The News Limited can bang the Herald Sun right up their ***.

Helps nobody

[GQ_Smooth]

Originally Posted by Geez Louise

Reading the articles and listening to the news, Ford Australia have given employees from NOVEMBER to accept a payout. I just want to say that again...from November!

Yes it is a sorry state of affairs, however to me, they still have their employees in mind. Four months is a long time in anyone's language to find another position or to at least save a little money until another job can be found.

It could have been much worse and people could have been let go without any warning at all.

To any Ford employees that may actually be members of our great forum, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for the hours of work you have put in making these great cars. I wish all of you the very best.

Cheers
Col

Very well put.

[PridenJoy]

When they were interviewing some of the workers outside the factory yesterday on the news, one of them said something which really got to me, 'We make great cars, the best cars made in Australia, but no one wants to buy them, they want to buy Korean cars instead'.

The most important thing I found and thought it was very commendable was that not one of them said a bad word about Ford.

And if any of you are reading this, thank you and yes you do make the best car in the country, keep up the good work and chin up.

[whales]

Holden are already advertising the Volt and it's not even released.

Yet Ford don't advertise the 4 cyl, LPG, G6 or the G6e and these cars have been on the market for months / years.

No one other than Ford fanatics know anything about a 4 cyl Falcon.

Crazy!!!

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by PridenJoy

When they were interviewing some of the workers outside the factory yesterday on the news, one of them said something which really got to me, 'We make great cars, the best cars made in Australia, but no one wants to buy them, they want to buy Korean cars instead'.

The most important thing I found and thought it was very commendable was that not one of them said a bad word about Ford.

And if any of you are reading this, thank you and yes you do make the best car in the country, keep up the good work and chin up.

When I drive my ute, I honestly think I am driving one of the motoring world's best kept secrets. The level of quality, ride, handling, room, durability, power and economy are just unmatched. For goodness sake it has a ZF transmission and its just a commercial vehicle. The product is outstanding, the marketing - woeful.

[windowlicker]

ABC just showed 20mins interviews at the Geelong gates with delegates. 2 guys there were tradies, each with over 25yrs at Ford.

I was a teenager in Newcastle. In the late 70s. In the last 40 years I have seen similar aussies in the same situation doing similar media interviews outside the gates of Bradmill, Osram lightbulbs, ship drydocks, ship manufacturing, ship crewing, SPC and others cannerys, abbatoirs, Newcastle steelworks, Aluminium smelters, car - truck - bus -train -plane manufacturers, parts manufacturers, tyre manufacturers, builders and suppliers... others not mentioned.

Manufacturing is a vital national asset. Putting aside the economic and future-building benefits, overiding those big benefits is this: a broad manufacturing ability makes you strategically better off - its a vital asset in times of war.

Our pollies have sat back with the American military umbrella in place and pushed many many many manufacturing jobs overseas. Now we have expanded (boomed) universities and we teach overseas students. And we are asia's wheat and cotton and mineral supplier. We sell the raw materials and then pay them their huge profits on our resources. I have seen shareholder lists of major mines and they being are foreign owned/foreign funded. Swiss banks are in like flynn obscuring who is really holding the funds. And then some mines have chinese banks funding chinese built plant on chinese part owned mines and it gets the okay from the Foreign Investment Board.

We're in a mess.

I was a Transport Corps reservist and I like the Army's 'green' and 'white' vehicle contracts that stipulate a certain percentage of the vehicle budget has to be sourced and serviced in Australia.

[BLUEYBA]

Unfortunately all this is leading to is the end of the Falcon/Territory and production in Australia. Why else would they not advertise the Falcon/Territory yet we see ads for all their other imported cars.
All this will do is Ford US more excuses when the time come to start shipping Taurus/Fusion here to replace it

[johnydep]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

There is a new Limited Ed XR6 on the market out right now.. But no-one knows about it becuase Ford doesn't tell anyone!! I saw it on the Ford website about a week or 2 ago.. I thought I'd wait to see how long it would take to be mentioned here.. I still haven't seen anyone say a word about it. Not even Ford fans know this limited ed is out there, what hope does the general public have!!

Sadly, Limited Edition models do not save car companies. Neither does Government fleets and hand-outs or advertising.

None of this is new, it happened to Chrysler, Nissan and Mitsubishi; go look back through the news articles of the time, everything said here was said and tried then.

The Button plan from the Hawke/Keating Labor Government show what the long term out come would be for the future of the car industry in Australia - maximum of 2 manufacturers, with bulk exports.

Has the plan been followed and improved on? No.

Instead of throwing money to any company that cries hardship, how about picking some winners. Then directing money for research and development, with guidelines and guarantees from company heads.

No offense, but too many people have their heads in the sand. They criticise and knock genuine debate down, without taking a good hard look at the future prospects.

Ford Aus had their chance in 2004, with the introduction of the Territory. They blew it with poor quality control, and a half hearted export program.

This all comes down to poor management, from Ford, our MP's and Governments. Don't get distracted by the petty excuses of poor advertising, Aussie buying practice, etc.

We keep going around in circles, complaining but never acting. How about sending your thoughts to the people that can make change - MP's, Political parties, Car manufacturers. Oh well, maybe next time

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...1356086&page=5

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showpos...&postcount=142

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11355091

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by windowlicker

I was a Transport Corps reservist and I like the Army's 'green' and 'white' vehicle contracts that stipulate a certain percentage of the vehicle budget has to be sourced and serviced in Australia.

Currently only 35% of the Federal Government's vehicle fleet is Australian made.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

There is a new Limited Ed XR6 on the market out right now.. But no-one knows about it becuase Ford doesn't tell anyone!! I saw it on the Ford website about a week or 2 ago.. I thought I'd wait to see how long it would take to be mentioned here.. I still haven't seen anyone say a word about it. Not even Ford fans know this limited ed is out there, what hope does the general public have!!

Originally Posted by Joe5619

I've just been to the Ford website.. There is even a limited ed territory!!!

those looking to actually buy the products, know about them. true story.

[KIWI-1]

Originally Posted by johnydep

None of this is new, it happened to Chrysler, Nissan and Mitsubishi; go look back through the news articles of the time, everything said here was said and tried then.

Yes, and when it happened to Nissan, Ivan Deveson returned them to profit in about 12mths with no Govt handouts.

"Mitsubishi Australia ceased production of the 380 large car and finally became a full importer during 2008. Since then Mitsubishi has gone from strength to strength having made an operating profit while increasing their market share from 6.0% to 6.1% over 2009 This was despite not having any vehicle represented in the declining large car segment during 2009. The Mitsubishi Lancer and Triton (both 2x4 and 4x4) enjoyed healthy sales growth. The spirit across the dealer network has recently become more upbeat particularly compared to the challenging times of previous years when the speculation over ending local manufacturing created negative publicity."

http://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-...view_Final.pdf

[saber]

Originally Posted by PridenJoy

When they were interviewing some of the workers outside the factory yesterday on the news, one of them said something which really got to me, 'We make great cars, the best cars made in Australia, but no one wants to buy them, they want to buy Korean cars instead'.

The most important thing I found and thought it was very commendable was that not one of them said a bad word about Ford.

And if any of you are reading this, thank you and yes you do make the best car in the country, keep up the good work and chin up.

Guys, in response to the above comment, what do you make of the following thread on Whirlpool?

Ford Territory vs Kio Sorrento

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1950387

Unfortunately, the perception that the Falcon is a poorly built, inferior car, with boring design seems to ring mostly loudly with the general buying public…

[falconnut]

Originally Posted by saber

Guys, in response to the above comment, what do you make of the following thread on Whirlpool?

Ford Territory vs Kio Sorrento

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1950387

Unfortunately, the perception that the Falcon is a poorly built, inferior car, with boring design seems to ring mostly loudly with the general buying public…

Thats exactly it though, the buying public is stupid, fickle and compeletly uninformed when it comes to actually buying a 'good' reliable and AUSTRALIAN car.

The idiot only points out gimmicky crap its missing like heated seats (wow because it gets SO cold in qld, spoiler it doesnt)

Then goes on to rave about the KIA?

HA!

I would love to see a comparison of a 10 year old kia and a 10 year old ford, i think we all know what one aged better.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by saber

Guys, in response to the above comment, what do you make of the following thread on Whirlpool?

Ford Territory vs Kio Sorrento

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1950387

Unfortunately, the perception that the Falcon is a poorly built, inferior car, with boring design seems to ring mostly loudly with the general buying public…

arguing over heated seats, xenon headlamps, auto wipers, sunroof... all very critical stuff!!..... oh wait, just like AFF.

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by prydey

those looking to actually buy the products, know about them. true story.

That is not good enough.. You need to tell the people who are looking for a new car & not looking at Falcon about it! These people don't know about it!

[PridenJoy]

Originally Posted by saber

Guys, in response to the above comment, what do you make of the following thread on Whirlpool?

Ford Territory vs Kio Sorrento

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1950387

Unfortunately, the perception that the Falcon is a poorly built, inferior car, with boring design seems to ring mostly loudly with the general buying public…

Falconut and prydey pretty much mirrored my response to the above. Especially the 10 year old thing.