Holden is offering your money back if you don't like its new Epica

[csv8]

Holden is offering your money back if you don't like its new Epica mid-sized car, the cheapest six-cylinder car on the market. By TOBY HAGON.



Holden is offering a radical money-back guarantee - believed to be an Australian first - on its new mid-sized car, the Epica.

During 2007, private buyers who purchase the Korean-made replacement for the Vectra will be able to hand it back within 30 days and fewer than 1500 kilometres on the odomoter if they are dissatisfied with the vehicle.

There are, of course, various terms and conditions, including ensuring the car is undamaged. Plus, you have to provide proof you have purchased (or will purchase) a new vehicle of equal or greater value than the Epica you're handing back.

But, for the most part, the money-back offer is a way of potentially "sealing the deal" against more established competitors, the most obvious of which is the Epica's prime target, the popular and well trusted Toyota Camry.

"We haven't really been in this segment for some time," says Holden executive director of sales, marketing and aftersales, Alan Batey, referring to the recent decision to discontinue the European-sourced Vectra.

"We don't believe the (mid-sized) market is going to grow, so we have to conquest buyers [from other brands].

"This offer is a unique and differentiated marketing tool to launch the new nameplate in this highly competitive mid-size segment."

Batey says other General Motors brands around the world have used a money-back offer as part of their marketing pitch.

He is expecting only a handful to be returned.

"If we use the GM experience, very few - fewer than 1 per cent - will be returned."

The Epica arrives as the most affordable six-cylinder car on the market.

Underneath, however, the Daewoo-made mid-sized car shares some basic componentry with Daewoos up to 10 years old.

That said, its starting price of $25,990 only gets you a 2.0-litre, in-line six-cylinder engine, which needs lots of encouragement to move the 1.5-tonne Epica body.

Holden is quick to point out that the engine was designed by Porsche.

Despite the apparent pedigree, using more expensive premium unleaded petrol, the underwhelming engine musters just 105kW of power.

To put that in perspective, the recently updated Holden Astra gets a new 1.8-litre engine with 103kW of power, just 2kW less than the bigger-engined, six-cylinder Epica.

But the Epica uses a miserly 8.2 litres of fuel per 100km, which will form a large part of the car's tough sales pitch.


This is interesting !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gobes32]

Once again Holden have proved they are the masters of marketing.

[Mongoose]

Why dosent Holden just dump the commonwhore and start selling only Korean cars?

[LUXO_8]

Originally Posted by Mongoose10

Why dosent Holden just dump the commonwhore and start selling only Korean cars?

the commodore isnt korean????.....had me fooled
thats a joke guys.....ha...ha and all that

the Vectra kind of had its nieche marcket......buyers that would only buy a european car and wouldnt be seen dead in an aussie car... im not too sure how well the "replacement" will seat with those buyers...

[Fordmuscle1965]

the commodore isnt korean????.....


YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dave_au]

Guys get over the Korean thing. Many of you sit there and pride yourselves on Ford's extensive list of Eurofords. Daewoo and Holden will probably outlast Ford given the apparent future plans.

Guess what boys and girls, their priced out of the market for perceived value. The people buying these Korean sourced Holden's couldnt give a stuff about where the car is made, they just want something cheap to get from A to B.

Holden wants to make it's profits by moving a large number of inexpensive cars, Ford's trying Holden's old strategy of selling a lower number of Euro cars at a higher price. Guess what, I have significant doubts on whether this strategic plan will be successful.

[SpoolMan]

Originally Posted by csv8

Despite the apparent pedigree, using more expensive premium unleaded petrol, the underwhelming engine musters just 105kW of power.


This is interesting !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The interest stopped here for mine, 1500kg car with 105kw of what...
A Hyundai Accent would have have a better ratio of performance..

[Dave_au]

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

The interest stopped here for mine, 1500kg car with 105kw of what...
A Hyundai Accent would have have a better ratio of performance..

Yeah I just saw that. The 2.0L engine is actually quite decent on paper it would seem - comparable to the old Nissan SR20DEs in the Pulsar SSS, although obviously the Pulsar SSS was a 1.1 Tonne car.

[AuFairlaneV8]

Originally Posted by Dave_au

Guess what boys and girls, their priced out of the market for perceived value. The people buying these Korean sourced Holden's couldnt give a stuff about where the car is made, they just want something cheap to get from A to B.

Holden wants to make it's profits by moving a large number of inexpensive cars, Ford's trying Holden's old strategy of selling a lower number of Euro cars at a higher price. Guess what, I have significant doubts on whether this strategic plan will be successful.

The problem for the ford strategy is that the koreans are getting closer and closer to euro build quality and in many cases better reliability. Admittadly european cars still have a better reputation but the belief that euro is better is slowly fading away.

[AuFairlaneV8]

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

The interest stopped here for mine, 1500kg car with 105kw of what...
A Hyundai Accent would have have a better ratio of performance..

yeah you would be hoping it has plenty of torque, which I doubt for a 2litre 6

[bathurst77]

Whats the problem with the Korean thing anyhow? Get over it.

Ford and GMH have been selling cars built in Japan and other asian countries such as Thailand in oz for a long time.
And in the 80s Ford had the festiva in oz which was a badge engineered KIA.
OR was it Ok then coz ford were doing it, but bad now coz its gmh?

besides KIA and Hyundai are ok cars if you just want basic whitegoods type "mum-to-the-shops" cars, which is what a hell of a lot of people want.
whats wrong with giving people what they want? Not everyone is an enthusiast.

[Gobes32]

Has anyone here drove an Epica? It would be interesting to have their point of view, that's all.

[DirtyHarry]

What I can't quite understand is why GM chooses to actually build different, and inferior, vehicles in Korea to what they produce elsewhere.


Take the European built Corsa (Barina), Astra, and Vectra for example. Three good cars, with one common problem - price.


So OK, I can kind of understand why GM dropped the Corsa/Barina and Vectra from the Australian markets, and replaced them with the Korean cars. But why do they have to build a POS like the current Barina in their Korean factory - why not just tool up and produce the vastly superior Corsa?


Same goes for Epica. I haven't driven one and I haven't read any reviews, but I would be surprised if it's as good as the Vectra. In any event, why produce two totally different mid sized cars?


The Corsa is built in countries diverse as Germany, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Columbia and India, as is the Astra. AFAIK the Vectra is only manufactured in Germany. I don't know why.


Maybe it's got something to do with the regulatory authorities in Korea and they have to design cars, as well as produce them at the former Daewoo plant. It just seems like a very inefficient way to build a car that people are not particularly thrilled about.


I guess Ford should just be thankful that GM don't produce Corsa, Astra and Vectra in Korea, and send them here.

[Bucket]

Theres a saying in Sales...Bulls#it baffles science. In this case I think its true...

Masses of Australians will flock to holden dealerships after seeing the slogan on Telly

"The new Holden Epica...Go incredibly slowly"

IMHO...Power is a saftey issue...You need to have enough of it for things like Overtaking etc...105Kw and a 1.5T Car (ok so it might have slightly better torque) isnt enough for obvious reasons.

[ltd]

OK, some have outlined the problem here and I'll reiterate it for you.
Cars made in foreign countries such as the Ford Focus are made to exacting standards for the head company. The cars are designed to meet certain criteria such as ANCAP etc, and are merely built to certain specifications.
The cars that Holden are making are designed and built in Korea for Korean standards; ergo the Barina failed ANCAP, as it was not designed for it.

Cars like the epica are designed with the criteria of being cheap enough and competitive enough for foreign markets to swoop people into a market which they would ordinarily ignore. Cheap is not always the best, and cheapening a product such as the commodore will not always guarantee sales.

Furthermore, I think Ford have done the right thing with their approach to not trying to outbid Holden on the commodore, as such a car could polarise opinion and in the end look very cheap and nasty. Regardless of the commodores pedigree, it is starting to be perceived as a Korean brand and will therefore ultimately lose sales to Toyota, and perhaps Ford should the Orion be as good as it is supposed to be. Remember, Holden lost the export deal to the USA on fuel economy, and this time next year the VE runs the risk of looking very dated and suffering fledgling sales whilst still trying to recoup their 1 billion dollars spent on the VE. If their margins are 20%, they need to sell over 5 billion dollars worth of the VE to break even, which also means they cannot spend big until they have the VE paid off so effectively, their hands are tied to anything new for atleast 4 years.

Interesting times ahead indeed.

[FASTXR]

The Epica was driven and reviewed in the auto section of the Sunday Telkegraph yesterday (can't find a link anywhere), and to put it bluntly received less than glowing praise.

I too did a double-take when I saw it was a 2 litre 6 cylinder putting out 105kw, and thats on PULP!

Still, like others have said, there's a lot of people out there to whom price is everything and who are probably ignorant of the fact of where the vehicle actually comes from.

[Fordmuscle1965]

Originally Posted by bathurst77

Whats the problem with the Korean thing anyhow? Get over it.

Ford and GMH have been selling cars built in Japan and other asian countries such as Thailand in oz for a long time.
And in the 80s Ford had the festiva in oz which was a badge engineered KIA.
OR was it Ok then coz ford were doing it, but bad now coz its gmh?

besides KIA and Hyundai are ok cars if you just want basic whitegoods type "mum-to-the-shops" cars, which is what a hell of a lot of people want.
whats wrong with giving people what they want? Not everyone is an enthusiast.

I guess the difference between Ford and holden is that Ford at least will stick with its own loyalties when it comes to models, most ford products, true are probably not made here on our shores and you could argue about a ute being renamed a mazda, but the majority of cars on their line up wear the ford badge all over the world, where-as holdens korean influence wear badges from just about everywhere. Pontiac, Chev, Daewoo, Holden, just to name a couple, same cars different badge. Go to the UK Chev Website you'd think you were visiting a Kia website, Where-as most if not all of the product at the Ford site is genuine Ford product!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sledgehammer]

Originally Posted by csv8

Underneath, however, the Daewoo-made mid-sized car shares some basic componentry with Daewoos up to 10 years old.!!

That pretty much sums it up.

[AlbertM]

Epica or Epikack? Both make me throw up.

[joolz]

Originally Posted by Fordmuscle1965

I guess the difference between Ford and holden is that Ford at least will stick with its own loyalties when it comes to models, most ford products, true are probably not made here on our shores and you could argue about a ute being renamed a mazda, but the majority of cars on their line up wear the ford badge all over the world, where-as holdens korean influence wear badges from just about everywhere. Pontiac, Chev, Daewoo, Holden, just to name a couple, same cars different badge. Go to the UK Chev Website you'd think you were visiting a Kia website, Where-as most if not all of the product at the Ford site is genuine Ford product!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If it comes to the locally built Holden and Ford you will find that the Holden is getting to a piont of only assembled in Australia (Holden opt to go offshore for over 50% of components) Where as Ford is the opposite.

[Dave_au]

Originally Posted by joolz

If it comes to the locally built Holden and Ford you will find that the Holden is getting to a piont of only assembled in Australia (Holden opt to go offshore for over 50% of components) Where as Ford is the opposite.

Not for long. I'd put my money on ford doing the same with the Orion when it's released.

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by Fordmuscle1965

I guess the difference between Ford and holden is that Ford at least will stick with its own loyalties when it comes to models, most ford products, true are probably not made here on our shores and you could argue about a ute being renamed a mazda, but the majority of cars on their line up wear the ford badge all over the world, where-as holdens korean influence wear badges from just about everywhere. Pontiac, Chev, Daewoo, Holden, just to name a couple, same cars different badge. Go to the UK Chev Website you'd think you were visiting a Kia website, Where-as most if not all of the product at the Ford site is genuine Ford product!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GM is GM, doesnt matter what division it is.

As Ford rebadges products from its other divisions.

[GRNKPR]

id like to see the conditions and how hard it would be too get your moneyback,as when you trade in the car is whisked away as you are signing paperwork for your new one ,bet thay wouldnt be that quick to give ya moneyback

[ltd]

I read in the Fin review that Mulally has so seriously considering the crown vic and the town car being made here, that he has put off redeveloping the next generation town car and is seeking to replace it with an aussie LWB with Orion underpinnings, yet american flavour. Apparently, they were close to the deal although what has postponed its announcement was the strengthening aussie dollar. Ford is making the Orion in LHD, and apparently there are some in Detroit who like the styling so much they have brought in test groups to determine the reaction to the look. Further down the track is the crown vic; the police over there are also anxious to get their hands on the XR6T and Typhoons, being a much faster car than the Crown Vics that they already have. We'll have to wait and see. This would certainly put an end to speculation of ford sourcing parts from China or Korea.

[ltd]

Oh, and GM have all but canned the export deal of the VE to the USA, on the basis of not meeting strict californian emmission standards, as well as being a gas guzzler. Ford Aus's strong suit has been on trying to reign in fuel economy as evidenced by the BF and BF2. Pity for Holden, that would have secured thousands of Aussie jobs.

[Gobes32]

Originally Posted by ltd

I read in the Fin review that Mulally has so seriously considering the crown vic and the town car being made here, that he has put off redeveloping the next generation town car and is seeking to replace it with an aussie LWB with Orion underpinnings, yet american flavour. Apparently, they were close to the deal although what has postponed its announcement was the strengthening aussie dollar. Ford is making the Orion in LHD, and apparently there are some in Detroit who like the styling so much they have brought in test groups to determine the reaction to the look. Further down the track is the crown vic; the police over there are also anxious to get their hands on the XR6T and Typhoons, being a much faster car than the Crown Vics that they already have. We'll have to wait and see. This would certainly put an end to speculation of ford sourcing parts from China or Korea.

Oh please god let this be true?

[ltd]

I'll try and dig up the article, it was only about a week ago.

One of the big determining factors and the thought behind this was that the American auto industry is so over unionised, that the ford pension scheme is killing the company. The pension scheme basically gives an employee a pension for life, and this has strangled cash flow to the extent that Ford are looking at reducing their costs and workforce accordingly. They have offered several redundancy packages to staff, and are trying to broker a deal with the union. Alan Mulally has publically stated that he will look to Australia for large RWD sedans.

[Yellow_Festiva]

The Epica has 1 thing going for it I think, same as most of the Korean cars it re-badges and sells here. The cars have been released in Korea about a year or more before we see them on our roads.

The Epica, along with the Hyundai Sonata and the Kia Magentis are what most Koreans use for Taxis, so they have a lot of wear and tear testing.

We get their series 2 or even 3 of these cars, so their bugs are ironed out in Korea.

[Bens_ELXR6]

Originally Posted by GRNKPR

id like to see the conditions and how hard it would be too get your moneyback,as when you trade in the car is whisked away as you are signing paperwork for your new one ,bet thay wouldnt be that quick to give ya moneyback

Read the 1st post. Because I think somwhere in there he said one of the "Terms" is:
Must have less than 1500kms on it, no more than 30 days old... AND you must have proof, or have a receipt that you are buying a car from holden, the same price, or more expensive.

Therefor, catching people in with the "money-back guarantee" then locking them in with them. Its almost like a life-sentance for not reading the fine-print :P lol

Cheers,

Ben

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Bens_ELXR6

Read the 1st post. Because I think somwhere in there he said one of the "Terms" is:
Must have less than 1500kms on it, no more than 30 days old... AND you must have proof, or have a receipt that you are buying a car from holden, the same price, or more expensive.

Therefor, catching people in with the "money-back guarantee" then locking them in with them. Its almost like a life-sentance for not reading the fine-print :P lol

Cheers,

Ben

I dont think the replacement car has to be a Holden.....