V-facts July 2009

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

I think many Ford fans seriously underestimate the damage the Ford dealer network has done to the brand. Not helped by Ford that preferred to:

a) Not fix a design or engineering problem now. (thats what the next model is for)

b) Never recall a car - wait until every single bloody customer has been put through the wringer and then grumble you will fix it and claim you never heard of it before, while you do it.

c) Always engineer the cheapest fix - not the best.

d) Just never fix it. Warranty is up in two years, so keep bullshitting until it runs out. You are on the third diff? The fourth will work a charm.

e) Always look to take $5000 worth of perceived customer value out of a car, by removing $500 worth of materials. The Territory decontent debacle comes to mind. Nothing new though, late EL's had this happen too.

f) Deny a problem until you have made sure every media outlet has made the punters aware of it and the brand has suffered for it. Then either belatedly do something about it, or just as likely still fail to address it. Later announce at next model release that the problem you denied was a problem is now fixed or let the motoring press discover it and write it up for you.

g) Forgot the internet means that customers are smarter in their purchasing now. Sure they might still ask Tom down the street who is a car nut, what to buy, but Tom has a heck of a lot better idea about Ford products and issues then he ever has. Better informed customers don't take spin well from big companies like Ford. If they do have an issue with a Ford vehicle, they take being ignored or spun a line even less well.

h) Never, never, never address the appalling quality and perception of the dealer network. That can't have any repercussions for the sales can it?

i) Not understand that poor fleet service and support also equals less private sales as these people have lives outside the office. Partners, neighbours, cousins, mates etc outside their business all get the opportunity to hear about how crap the last Falcon and/or Ford dealer was.
Focus vs Mazda 3 sales is this outcome in practice.

j) Fail to understand that most people are not tribal about car brands anymore. Yes some are (like on here), but most people have absolutely no problem about the brand. Traditional Ford buyers from my experience are less worried about swapping brands then a Holden buyer. Result is that if Ford or the dealer screws a Ford customer, they are far more likely to walk – and not come back.

k) Most people who are not Ford enthusiasts, find it unacceptable and frankly stupid that you need to "shop around" for a Ford dealer who will fix properly a warranty issue. If the local dealer can't or won't fix a fault, they simply won't buy Ford next time and shop at Toyota next door for their next car. Sure Toyota might screw them over too, but if they do, they will try Subaru or Mazda next - they won't come back to Ford.

l) Brand advertising will never, ever, replace a good dealer experience. if you can't provide the latter, then its game over before the ad even plays on the telly. Something many Ford fans can’t correlate as they only look at the ad and the car and not the whole ownership experience.

Welcome to dealers in general.

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

I think many Ford fans seriously underestimate the damage the Ford dealer network has done to the brand. Not helped by Ford that preferred to:

a) Not fix a design or engineering problem now. (thats what the next model is for)

b) Never recall a car - wait until every single bloody customer has been put through the wringer and then grumble you will fix it and claim you never heard of it before, while you do it.

c) Always engineer the cheapest fix - not the best.

d) Just never fix it. Warranty is up in two years, so keep bullshitting until it runs out. You are on the third diff? The fourth will work a charm.

e) Always look to take $5000 worth of perceived customer value out of a car, by removing $500 worth of materials. The Territory decontent debacle comes to mind. Nothing new though, late EL's had this happen too.

f) Deny a problem until you have made sure every media outlet has made the punters aware of it and the brand has suffered for it. Then either belatedly do something about it, or just as likely still fail to address it. Later announce at next model release that the problem you denied was a problem is now fixed or let the motoring press discover it and write it up for you.

g) Forgot the internet means that customers are smarter in their purchasing now. Sure they might still ask Tom down the street who is a car nut, what to buy, but Tom has a heck of a lot better idea about Ford products and issues then he ever has. Better informed customers don't take spin well from big companies like Ford. If they do have an issue with a Ford vehicle, they take being ignored or spun a line even less well.

h) Never, never, never address the appalling quality and perception of the dealer network. That can't have any repercussions for the sales can it?

i) Not understand that poor fleet service and support also equals less private sales as these people have lives outside the office. Partners, neighbours, cousins, mates etc outside their business all get the opportunity to hear about how crap the last Falcon and/or Ford dealer was.
Focus vs Mazda 3 sales is this outcome in practice.

j) Fail to understand that most people are not tribal about car brands anymore. Yes some are (like on here), but most people have absolutely no problem about the brand. Traditional Ford buyers from my experience are less worried about swapping brands then a Holden buyer. Result is that if Ford or the dealer screws a Ford customer, they are far more likely to walk – and not come back.

k) Most people who are not Ford enthusiasts, find it unacceptable and frankly stupid that you need to "shop around" for a Ford dealer who will fix properly a warranty issue. If the local dealer can't or won't fix a fault, they simply won't buy Ford next time and shop at Toyota next door for their next car. Sure Toyota might screw them over too, but if they do, they will try Subaru or Mazda next - they won't come back to Ford.

l) Brand advertising will never, ever, replace a good dealer experience. if you can't provide the latter, then its game over before the ad even plays on the telly. Something many Ford fans can’t correlate as they only look at the ad and the car and not the whole ownership experience.

Pfft.... do you seriously think Holden or Toyota are any better than Ford?? you're kidding yourself if you do....

[vztrt]

http://www.caradvice.com.au/37704/ne...res-july-2009/

New Vehicle Sales Figures July 2009

Click read more to see the full table.

New Vehicle Sales July 2009
1 Toyota 16664
2 Holden 10266
3 Ford 7783
4 Hyundai 6226
5 Mazda 6024
6 Mitsubishi 4166
7 Nissan 3756
8 Subaru 2807
9 Honda 2657
10 Volkswagen 2361
11 Kia 1497
12 Mercedes-Benz 1429
13 BMW 1421
14 Suzuki 1283
15 Audi 943
16 Lexus 472
17 Peugeot 443
18 Volvo 360
19 Land Rover 340
20 Great Wall Motors 274
21 Jeep 249
22 Isuzu Ute 223
23 Renault 187
24 MINI 173
25 Citroen 161
26 Chrysler 160
27 Fiat 139
28 Proton 123
29 Dodge 117
30 Porsche 100
31 Alfa Romeo 96
32 Saab 79
33 Skoda 74
34 Jaguar 65
35 Ssangyong 54
36 Smart 28
37 Hummer 25
38 Ferrari 13
39 Maserati 10
40 Lotus 5
41 Aston Martin 3
42 Bentley 1
43 Lamborghini 1
44 Morgan 0
45 Maybach 0
46 Caterham 0
47 Rolls-Royce 0

[Stoney!]

Originally Posted by Eu-GenixX

i am glad someone mentioned this... Cruze has just taken up slack from the phasing out of other models.. but had made a few sales on top of that.. so whats that... about 300-400 sales?... you can't give the Cruze FULL credit for gaining 2000 odd sales when it's replacing 2 other cars accounting for a 1600 sale loss....

What a crock of , if they have two medium sized cars in the first place that are doing well, then they are doing a good job.

If peple can no longer buy a astra or viva then they will search through their options, might even be hyundais turn for them, or focus to replace the astra.

Not to mention there are still Astra's in stock, so if they were getting a new car I'm sure they would get a new version of what they already had while tjhey still could.

Just admit for once, the car is doing well, its attractive, fantastic value for money and a great chassis, with fine tuning to come from holden yet when they bring theirs out, only good things will come from this chassis being built apon.

And yes holden had a part in the making of this car, as did Opel.

It's not about taking up any slack, it's just what people want, My grandmother will be buying a Diesel version of the CDX when they start rolling them out shortly due to sales success, she loves the look of it and grandad loves the grunt.

Besides, before i bought my 118tsi golf, I had a look at astra and focus. Astra I wasn't overly happy with and the focus interior quality and presentation was appalling. Even the i30 has a better interior. I checked out the cruze recently and was very impressed all round, doesn't quite have the kit of the golf, so I prob still wouldn't have bought one.... but to the average buying in this class the Cruze is perfect.

Stoney!

[whales]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Pfft.... do you seriously think Holden or Toyota are any better than Ford?? you're kidding yourself if you do....

So true, but unfortunatly Ford seem to be in the media about it more than the others thanks to the likes of journalists like Glover and Smithy from the herald sun

[Eu-GenixX]

Originally Posted by Stoney!

What a crock of , if they have two medium sized cars in the first place that are doing well, then they are doing a good job.

If peple can no longer buy a astra or viva then they will search through their options, might even be hyundais turn for them, or focus to replace the astra.

Not to mention there are still Astra's in stock, so if they were getting a new car I'm sure they would get a new version of what they already had while tjhey still could.

Just admit for once, the car is doing well, its attractive, fantastic value for money and a great chassis, with fine tuning to come from holden yet when they bring theirs out, only good things will come from this chassis being built apon.

And yes holden had a part in the making of this car, as did Opel.

It's not about taking up any slack, it's just what people want, My grandmother will be buying a Diesel version of the CDX when they start rolling them out shortly due to sales success, she loves the look of it and grandad loves the grunt.

Besides, before i bought my 118tsi golf, I had a look at astra and focus. Astra I wasn't overly happy with and the focus interior quality and presentation was appalling. Even the i30 has a better interior. I checked out the cruze recently and was very impressed all round, doesn't quite have the kit of the golf, so I prob still wouldn't have bought one.... but to the average buying in this class the Cruze is perfect.

Stoney!

i'm not saying the car isn't doing well... i'm saying you can't give FULL credit of sales to the car itself... like it or not... it is replacing other models.. so part of the number of sales HAS to be replacing said models.. whether it be 1600 or 1000 units.. they are not selling 2000 units just coz it's a new model... there is a hole in the market from Viva and Astra... Cruze is helping to fill that hole

and the astra's that are still in stock... how long has that model been out.. ? ppl who currently have astra's probably have similar/same shape.. why buy a new car of exactly what you already have?

I can't comment too much on the car itself.. as i have not driven one.. but.. i'll admit i do like the styling.. it looks like a good package and well priced.. but i refuse to admit that this car is not replacing Astra and Viva sales.. atleast in some part...

[DanielXR8]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Pfft.... do you seriously think Holden or Toyota are any better than Ford?? you're kidding yourself if you do....

What Toyota or Holden does or doesn't do is immaterial. What Ford does and how it treats its customers does matter.

Holden is more tribal and gets some people back again and again, but their numbers are falling with each generation, the same as Ford fans are getting thinner numbers in the ranks.

Quality and service are not buzz words. They instill brand loyalty and customer satisfaction. Comparing Fords useless service agains't the next guy and saying they are no better or worse.... well how does that rate as a solution for customer satisfaction?

Lets look at FG sales... Focus sales....Mondeo sales.... theres your answer to that one.

Dan

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

What Toyota or Holden does or doesn't do is immaterial. What Ford does and how it treats its customers does matter.

Holden is more tribal and gets some people back again and again, but their numbers are falling with each generation, the same as Ford fans are getting thinner numbers in the ranks.

Quality and service are not buzz words. They instill brand loyalty and customer satisfaction. Comparing Fords useless service agains't the next guy and saying they are no better or worse.... well how does that rate as a solution for customer satisfaction?

Lets look at FG sales... Focus sales....Mondeo sales.... theres your answer to that one.

Dan

O please... Comparing yourself to the competition is the first thing you should do in business.. To say "What Toyota or Holden does or doesn't do is immaterial" is just wrong. How do you know if your the best (or worse) if you dont know what the competition is doing?

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

What Toyota or Holden does or doesn't do is immaterial. What Ford does and how it treats its customers does matter.

Holden is more tribal and gets some people back again and again, but their numbers are falling with each generation, the same as Ford fans are getting thinner numbers in the ranks.

Quality and service are not buzz words. They instill brand loyalty and customer satisfaction. Comparing Fords useless service agains't the next guy and saying they are no better or worse.... well how does that rate as a solution for customer satisfaction?

Lets look at FG sales... Focus sales....Mondeo sales.... theres your answer to that one.

Dan

HUH???????

If Toyota's and Holden's service is no better than Ford's, and i can Guarantee you of that, then NOBODY can use dealers as an excuse to switch brands can they????? because they'll have the same overall experience elsewhere.
Im not saying ford dealers are perfect, nor am i saying they shouldnr try to improve, but i get a bit sick of people trying to make out they're worse that their competition, which they're NOT.

Originally Posted by Joe5619

O please... Comparing yourself to the competition is the first thing you should do in business.. To say "What Toyota or Holden does or doesn't do is immaterial" is just wrong. How do you know if your the best (or worse) if you dont know what the competition is doing?

Exactly right, how do you know what "better" or "worse" is if you've got no reference to measure it against....

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

O please... Comparing yourself to the competition is the first thing you should do in business.. To say "What Toyota or Holden does or doesn't do is immaterial" is just wrong. How do you know if your the best (or worse) if you dont know what the competition is doing?

Ford just need to keep plugging away at their quality and reliability. If you have no issues with your car then your dealer experience will be much better.

The FG is a big step over the B-Series....still some bugs there but its not as poor as when the BA was released.

[Wally]

I had a feeling the Cruze would do well, after my wife asked about it. An advert has to be pretty effective for her to take any notice of it.

[russellw]

The first set of graphs are now uploaded into the Tech area.

Cheers
Russ

[russellw]

The Supplementary stats are also now uploaded.

Cheers
Russ

[Jason[98.EL]]

Great charts as per norm

just a question what with the laser/focus naming of the 99/09 graph

not the best sale for the segment though

Jason

[russellw]

The naming Laser/Focus is to cover the fact that the model changed name across the time period involved.

Cheers
Russ

[dallasv8]

i was in Mt Isa over the weekend and holden out there has more HSV's and commos etc than the Townsville branch of holden.
Ford in Mt Isa on the other hand has a total of 2 falcons and 2 rangers on the floor...very sad for a town like the Isa.

[Jason[98.EL]]

Originally Posted by russellw

The naming Laser/Focus is to cover the fact that the model changed name across the time period involved.

Cheers
Russ

ahh ok

thanks i forgot that the laser was around in 99

Jason