Mitsu Outselling Ford in QLD !!!!!

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FORD and its dealers need to get their act together ASAP !!!!

MITSUBISHI finished the financial year on a high and claimed some prized scalps along the way to a bumper sales result in June.

The diamond badge outperformed Ford in Queensland to be the third best seller while nationally it slipped past the high-flying Mazda.

A total of 8346 Mitsubishis were sold last month, which accounted for a substantial 7.8 per cent of the market.

The figures caught Mitsubishi executives off-guard as the company finds its feet after the announcement the locally made 380 sedan would cease production earlier this year.

"June is traditionally a strong month in the Australian automotive industry," Mitsubishi Australia president and chief executive Rob McEniry said. "Everyone at Mitsubishi was keen to make June '08 a month to remember."

A lot of the success came from the Lancer (2667 sales) and the well-regarded Triton (2683) workhorse range. The June total took Mitsubishi's year-to-date business to 35,167, which is a 4.5 per cent lift over the same period last year.

Mitsubishi is launching the cracking Lancer Evolution sedan this week.

THE NUMBERS GAME

Lancer up 11.7% with 10,495 sales

Colt up 14.6% to 2148

Outlander up 18.8% to 4552

Triton 4x2 up 101.2% to 4096

Triton 4x4 up 7.2% to 5277

Express van up 16.0% to 2049.

[uranium_death]

I don't mind Mitsubishi.

I find they have tried to make their cars a little more interested over the past few years, which in direct contrast with Toyota, who continue to make cars with concrete seats and crappo interiors.

If I didn't buy a Ford, I'd certainly consider a Mitsubishi.

But yes, Ford dealers do need to get their act together.

[Bud Bud]

Originally Posted by uranium_death

I don't mind Mitsubishi.

I find they have tried to make their cars a little more interested over the past few years, which in direct contrast with Toyota, who continue to make cars with concrete seats and crappo interiors.

If I didn't buy a Ford, I'd certainly consider a Mitsubishi.

But yes, Ford dealers do need to get their act together.

Maybe you have discovered the 380,s biggest flaw. Perhaps it just was not interesting enough compared to their own other offerings like the Lancer etc., because it doesn't seem that Mitsubishi is on the nose in Australia after they shut down the plant here.

[Wally]

So if Ford shuts down local production, will sales rise?

[SirHenry]

Originally Posted by Wally

So if Ford shuts down local production, will sales rise?

Only if they actually start listening to people....

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by Wally

So if Ford shuts down local production, will sales rise?

If the brand becomes appealing to the Australian Public for the first time in a decade.

[LTDHO]

Why buy a Ford?

Lame marketing and support they are only going to fail.

[Hunter]

Yeah, I can't say I blame people for not buying new Fords these days given how god-awful the dealers are reported to be. I can't say the Ford dealers I dealt with while looking at new cars were all that good. One was total crap and the other was just a bit better than crap. They did not instill confidence in me. Nor did their vehicle (A focus) either. Which is why I am the owner of a new Mazda and not a new Ford.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by Hunter

Yeah, I can't say I blame people for not buying new Fords these days given how god-awful the dealers are reported to be. I can't say the Ford dealers I dealt with while looking at new cars were all that good. One was total crap and the other was just a bit better than crap. They did not instill confidence in me. Nor did their vehicle (A focus) either. Which is why I am the owner of a new Mazda and not a new Ford.

...and why I'm the owner of a new Volkswagen...

I was very interested in the Focus but no-one was motivated enough to sell me one.

When I bought the BA, the car sells itself was the cry of all but one of the Ford dealers I visited. The one savour didn't believe that and allowed me a test drive one so *I* could make that determination (thanks City Ford), otherwise my last car wouldn't have been a Ford, either (and it turned out, over the long run to be my best car to date...)

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in 2008, on average, mitsubishi makes better cars than ford.

[Auslandau]

..... and thats why my next car will be an FG. I buy the cars I want & enjoy. I dont buy on marketing and dont need to be 'sold' on a car by a dealer. They are there to organise the paperwork, agree to the price and hand me the keys. You cant tell me that so many more 380's and Lancer's have been sold on marketing or better dealers? When ever was there an add on the 380 ..... unless it was to say they are now 1/2 price!



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[Hunter]

auslandau, my decision was based 80% on the vehicle itself and 20% on the dealer.

Choosing the right dealer is important with new vehicles because if anything buggers up, you want the dealer to be helpful and not a complete arrogant *** (like a lot of ford dealers).

I looked at Ford's offerings, saw the Focus was awful inside and had pretty woeful build quality in the body. I saw some other cars and eventually thought the Mazda was the go. If Ford built a good product (and didn't build it in some crappy South African factory), I might've bought it.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by auslandau

..... and thats why my next car will be an FG. I buy the cars I want & enjoy. I dont buy on marketing and dont need to be 'sold' on a car by a dealer. They are there to organise the paperwork, agree to the price and hand me the keys. You cant tell me that so many more 380's and Lancer's have been sold on marketing or better dealers? When ever was there an add on the 380 ..... unless it was to say they are now 1/2 price!

If each Ford dealer you went to gave you an embarrasing estimate for your trade and no interest in doing you any sort of deal, would you still buy an FG from them?

I don't watch advertisements on TV (I download all the shows I watch) and the salesman doesn't need to open their mouth except to give me a changeover price on the vehicle of my choice but I'm also likely to use the dealer for servicing, so the reflection of the sales department resonates with me for the entire 3 year warranty period.

I can tell you that I'm not driving a Ford today because of the treatment from many of the dealers I visited and I'm driving a Volkswagen because of the excellent treatment by the first dealer I visited.

[robjh80]

I had a brand new 2007 Lancer VRX, sold it only after owning it for about 2 months, lost 4k on it.

The handling was shocking, felt like it had a "big sponge" in each corner, it just "wallowed" it's way down the road like some big "clumbersome lump", it had no charisma, soul or spirit at all, just a typical Japanese Box.

But the main reason I sold it was because of the "appalling paint quality", it was barely even there, the paint was so thin it was disgusting, just about anything would chip the paint, I was finding new chips all over the front of the car each day, just do a Google on "Mitsubishi Paint Problems.".....very interesting reading, lot's of very unhappy owners out there.

And as for "Dealer Support".....forget it!
The one I bought mine from, which I might add is one of the "biggest in Australia" was hopeless, no better than the useless lumps at the Ford Dealerships around, dont kid yourselves that they are any better believe me.

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by Hunter

auslandau, my decision was based 80% on the vehicle itself and 20% on the dealer.

Choosing the right dealer is important with new vehicles because if anything buggers up, you want the dealer to be helpful and not a complete arrogant *** (like a lot of ford dealers).

I looked at Ford's offerings, saw the Focus was awful inside and had pretty woeful build quality in the body. I saw some other cars and eventually thought the Mazda was the go. If Ford built a good product (and didn't build it in some crappy South African factory), I might've bought it.

I agree ...... you didnt buy the Focus because you liked something better and from what Mazda is offering in that area I dont blame you It may account to 20% of the end descision, buying in confidence and so forth and I would say I hate giving money to people I dont like! Thats why its great there is a Ford dealer on almost every corner!

Originally Posted by Rodp

If each Ford dealer you went to gave you an embarrasing estimate for your trade and no interest in doing you any sort of deal, would you still buy an FG from them?

Not from that dealer .... no I wouldnt. But I am not buying a DB9 from the only Aston dealer in the country. Within a 30 minute drive from me there are 6 dealers to choose from ..... less than 1 hour drive I have a total of 10 dealers. (Proberly more actually) I have had dealings with 4 of them and only 1 I will not go back to ..... Another I have bought a BA, Ranger & Territory in the past 18 months, negotiating at the moment for a G6 and have a total of 5 cars serviced there.

All I am saying is that if you want something, a salesperson cannot be that a big iinfluence not to buy that product, if its available elsewhere close by. Obviously the VDUB is your thing and thats great. I wouldnt buy a VE because the salesperson was a wonderful guy and the dealer gave me flowers for a week



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[Rodp]

Originally Posted by auslandau

Not from that dealer .... no I wouldnt. But I am not buying a DB9 from the only Aston dealer in the country. Within a 30 minute drive from me there are 6 dealers to choose from ..... less than 1 hour drive I have a total of 10 dealers. (Proberly more actually) I have had dealings with 4 of them and only 1 I will not go back to ..... Another I have bought a BA, Ranger & Territory in the past 18 months, negotiating at the moment for a G6 and have a total of 5 cars serviced there.

All I am saying is that if you want something, a salesperson cannot be that a big iinfluence not to buy that product, if its available elsewhere close by. Obviously the VDUB is your thing and thats great. I wouldnt buy a VE because the salesperson was a wonderful guy and the dealer gave me flowers for a week

A salesperson can be a big influence on me as to whether I'll buy a product from them.

I spent 3 weekends and countless hours shopping many Ford dealers and as I've said in the past, most of them wouldn't accept my BA XR8 as trade (without even looking at the car), the best offer I was given was 10k (again, without even looking at the car). None of them would budge one bit on the price of an XR5 even when I told them I should be entitled to fleet discount which I later found out is ~$2k saving.

Within 5 minutes of being in a VW dealer, I was offered 17k for trade and 8k off fleet discount on an R32.

Would you buy a VE off a salesperson who happily gave you a $14k saving?

[ltd]

Yeah, salesman don't affect my decision too much now either. I prefer to drive in with a trade in, tell them what I am looking at trading it in for, and then telling them how much I want (be reasonable, go for the average redbook price). If they say it's too hard to do I say; "Thanks for your time, I'll just have to try a couple of other places first before making my decision first". Nine times out of 10 they will do the price or damned near it, in one case I was about to drive off and the salesman ran after me to inform me that his boss gave him the OK on the deal. It's not rocket science, have a little respect for the salesman and let him see his goal before haggling. If he can sell a 45K plus car for the sake of 1500 on a trade-in he will most likely do it. Over the last few years, I have always gotten what I wanted and now visit the same lady time and time again. I have also referred many others to her and they couldn't be happier. I must admit though, some dealers are absolutely useless for sales such as Power Ford.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by ltd

Yeah, salesman don't affect my decision too much now either. I prefer to drive in with a trade in, tell them what I am looking at trading it in for, and then telling them how much I want (be reasonable, go for the average redbook price). If they say it's too hard to do I say; "Thanks for your time, I'll just have to try a couple of other places first before making my decision first". Nine times out of 10 they will do the price or damned near it, in one case I was about to drive off and the salesman ran after me to inform me that his boss gave him the OK on the deal. It's not rocket science, have a little respect for the salesman and let him see his goal before haggling. If he can sell a 45K plus car for the sake of 1500 on a trade-in he will most likely do it. Over the last few years, I have always gotten what I wanted and now visit the same lady time and time again. I have also referred many others to her and they couldn't be happier. I must admit though, some dealers are absolutely useless for sales such as Power Ford.

Perhaps I should have taken you with me when I was looking at an XR5. I was either laughed at or received a look like I was nuts when I was trying to buy one and turned up with an XR8. I was even realistic on trade price. 16k, which was the bottom of redbook scale for trade price on an immaculate XR8 at the time.

At a guess, I would say rougly 7 salesman said they wouldn't offer anything as trade for my XR8 because V8's are too hard to sell these days.

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by Rodp

Would you buy a VE off a salesperson who happily gave you a $14k saving?

If I walked into a Holden s'room with the same trade in on the same specced 40k car, Holden ..... or other manufactuers ...... there would be a 14k difference? :0

Soooo the Terri I bought, instead of paying 36k I could have bought a Craptiva for around the 20k mark? What the hell am I doing wrong!!!!



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[Rodp]

Originally Posted by auslandau

If I walked into a Holden s'room with the same trade in on the same specced 40k car, Holden ..... or other manufactuers ...... there would be a 14k difference? :0

Soooo the Terri I bought, instead of paying 36k I could have bought a Craptiva for around the 20k mark? What the hell am I doing wrong!!!!

But the trade value I was offered was $7k more than the *best* offer by a Ford dealer *ON A FORD*. I'm sure I stated this a number of times already.

Fleet purchase entitled me to a flat $2k off a Ford. VW entitled me to 10% off list of a VW, $0 dealer delivery, $0 premium paint and a number of other discounts which added up to about $9k saving off the drive away price.

Even ignoring those for a moment. $7k difference in trade alone.. that's a shedload. When you're given a trade-in price that woeful (again, pointing out that was the *best* offer I was given by a Ford dealer) your confidence about striking a good deal plummets.

If you were given $7k better trade on a VE over an FG and you still went the FG, I admire your loyalty as a Ford owner. My wallet speaks louder than my loyalty for a car manufacturer.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Rodp

But the trade value I was offered was $7k more than the *best* offer by a Ford dealer *ON A FORD*. I'm sure I stated this a number of times already.

Fleet purchase entitled me to a flat $2k off a Ford. VW entitled me to 10% off list of a VW, $0 dealer delivery, $0 premium paint and a number of other discounts which added up to about $9k saving off the drive away price.

Even ignoring those for a moment. $7k difference in trade alone.. that's a shedload. When you're given a trade-in price that woeful (again, pointing out that was the *best* offer I was given by a Ford dealer) your confidence about striking a good deal plummets.

If you were given $7k better trade on a VE over an FG and you still went the FG, I admire your loyalty as a Ford owner. My wallet speaks louder than my loyalty for a car manufacturer.

How many XR8's do you think a Ford dealer would have Vs the number a VW dealer would have. Of course you'd get bugger all at a Ford dealer if they can't sell the piles of them they have out the back. Easier for a VW dealer to sell one from their yard than Ford trying to clear a whole lot of them.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

How many XR8's do you think a Ford dealer would have Vs the number a VW dealer would have. Of course you'd get bugger all at a Ford dealer if they can't sell the piles of them they have out the back. Easier for a VW dealer to sell one from their yard than Ford trying to clear a whole lot of them.

VW didn't keep my car, they wholesaled it off - within minutes of handing it over it was being loaded onto a truck. I'm sure Ford dealers are fully capable of doing the same if they want to make sales. Every companies goal is repeat customers, the last 3 Fords I've owned I've had to buy another marquis due to the fact that Ford offered me horrible resale on their own cars. Worst was an EF Ghia which I bought for ~$46k. 3 years later, same yard, worth $5k as trade. Went and bought an SS, worth $15k trade at Holden.

I don't understand the logic behind VW being able to sell an XR8 better than Ford though. Presumably you wouldn't travel to a VW dealer to buy a V8 sedan... since they don't actually sell one themselves.

[ltd]

Originally Posted by Rodp

VW didn't keep my car, they wholesaled it off - within minutes of handing it over it was being loaded onto a truck. I'm sure Ford dealers are fully capable of doing the same if they want to make sales. Every companies goal is repeat customers, the last 3 Fords I've owned I've had to buy another marquis due to the fact that Ford offered me horrible resale on their own cars. Worst was an EF Ghia which I bought for ~$46k. 3 years later, same yard, worth $5k as trade. Went and bought an SS, worth $15k trade at Holden.

I don't understand the logic behind VW being able to sell an XR8 better than Ford though. Presumably you wouldn't travel to a VW dealer to buy a V8 sedan... since they don't actually sell one themselves.

Mate, what state/city you live in?
If you've got ford dealers that unreasonable we deserve to know who.
You're absolutely right though, you have been treated very poorly. A 3 year old Ghia in 1998/1999 was worth about 15-20k on the private market back then, so a 15k trade is very reasonable (bear in mind dealers have to prepare the car for sale, sell it and warrant the damn thing plus make some kind of a profit).

Sounds to me rodp that you know what you are doing with dealers; it's just that the ford dealers you have been to have been incredibly hopeless and for that reason, I agree with you in your not buying a ford. Brand loyalty shouldn't cost you 7k every time you trade up.
Also, BA XR8's are still selling; I have seen many just under the 20K mark at the moment so the 7K crap and excuses are just that; crap and excuses. Sounds to me that the dealers you went to where lazy and ineffective, I'm guessing Ford would be interested to know the reluctance of their dealers to actually sell cars, and those too lazy to prepare a decent trade in for sale always have the option of wholesaling the car.

In November 2006 my sister had an AU fairmont with 170K on the clock and an engine that required a new head, cat and the tranny had just been repaired after a failed radiator core. Thomson ford tried to charge her 4K for that little repair (the tranny, I was OS at the time and could have had it done with genuine parts from Jubilee for 2.5K), thankfully after breaking down several times on the way home to her place and blowing all the trans fluid on James Ruse Drive, my sister decided that her car was indeed only going to get worse without TLC. One phone call later to Thomsons with them trying to deflect the blame and any form of responsibility for towing costs etc, I informed them that the good people at American Express had just authorised the payment to be stopped on my behalf until the goods were rectified. Tow truck was there within half an hour and a service advisor turned up with a loan car around the same time.

Next day, went to see Jubilee Ford about a BA mk2 fairmont, sold the trade-in without even bringing it there for 8K on a car that was on the lot on with a special price of $19990. Yes, it was only a 12K changeover and the salesman couldn't have been nicer. Told him then to find a Fairlane for my father, week later he had a 6 month old BF for 42K. Bought it without seeing it and found the whole experience to actually be enjoyable. Anyhow, I digress, if you are in Sydney and don't want to be stuffed around, go see Karen at Dale Ford.
Never have I found a dealer to be so easy to deal with, and I have dealt with them from Mercedes to Mazda to chrysler to Audi.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by ltd

Mate, what state/city you live in?
If you've got ford dealers that unreasonable we deserve to know who.

I don't like to name and shame when it comes to a sale where the salesman likely felt they were operating in the best interest of their yard - had they treated me poorly (well, one did treat me poorly, actually insulting when I suggested I was looking to trade my XR8 on an XR5 - Sinclair Ford in Penrith - was ~3 months ago so don't remember the name of the salesman). I'm based in Sydney, near Liverpool. Penrith wasn't the farthest I travelled to a Ford dealer so that should give a reasonable indication of how many dealers I visited.

Originally Posted by ltd

Sounds to me rodp that you know what you are doing with dealers; it's just that the ford dealers you have been to have been incredibly hopeless and for that reason, I agree with you in your not buying a ford. Brand loyalty shouldn't cost you 7k every time you trade up.
Also, BA XR8's are still selling; I have seen many just under the 20K mark at the moment so the 7K crap and excuses are just that; crap and excuses. Sounds to me that the dealers you went to where lazy and ineffective, I'm guessing Ford would be interested to know the reluctance of their dealers to actually sell cars, and those too lazy to prepare a decent trade in for sale always have the option of wholesaling the car.

I consider myself fair and reasonable and trade value is important to me. I don't have the time or inclination to sell my car privately, my job requires I own a car and have no place to store a car I'm not using. I visited Mazda, Peugeot, Renault and VW after I had decided enough was enough with Ford. None of them had any reluctance to trade my XR8. I was looking for ~15-16k as trade and they all seemed to indicate that was doable.

Originally Posted by ltd

Next day, went to see Jubilee Ford about a BA mk2 fairmont, sold the trade-in without even bringing it there for 8K on a car that was on the lot on with a special price of $19990. Yes, it was only a 12K changeover and the salesman couldn't have been nicer. Told him then to find a Fairlane for my father, week later he had a 6 month old BF for 42K. Bought it without seeing it and found the whole experience to actually be enjoyable. Anyhow, I digress, if you are in Sydney and don't want to be stuffed around, go see Karen at Dale Ford.

That's the sort of no nonsense I look for when I go car shopping. I already know what I want and I know how much I want as a changeover before I step foot on a yard. My goal is to get the right price in as little time as possible. I won't haggle - when I decide to walk out the door it means I'm leaving and bar the salesman offering to give me the car for free I'm not turning back, I won't pit dealer on dealer, if you give me a price in my ballpark I'm signing. Experience over the last 10 years seems to indicate that I can only do that when I'm not trading in a Ford at a Ford dealer... and I have no idea why that is. The BA XR8 when I bought it, I traded in an VT2 SS and was given $3k more than I was expecting. Deal was done in minutes.

Salesman can make or break a sale no matter how much I want the car... enough salesman break the sale, time to choose another car.

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by Rodp

...and why I'm the owner of a new Volkswagen...

Question; (and its *not* a joke re my Sig) what model, and did it come supplied with a triangle??

Might have a sticker telltale in the boot area.

[ea90gl]

Originally Posted by robjh80

I had a brand new 2007 Lancer VRX, sold it only after owning it for about 2 months, lost 4k on it.

The handling was shocking, felt like it had a "big sponge" in each corner, it just "wallowed" it's way down the road like some big "clumbersome lump", it had no charisma, soul or spirit at all, just a typical Japanese Box.

But the main reason I sold it was because of the "appalling paint quality", it was barely even there, the paint was so thin it was disgusting, just about anything would chip the paint, I was finding new chips all over the front of the car each day, just do a Google on "Mitsubishi Paint Problems.".....very interesting reading, lot's of very unhappy owners out there.

And as for "Dealer Support".....forget it!
The one I bought mine from, which I might add is one of the "biggest in Australia" was hopeless, no better than the useless lumps at the Ford Dealerships around, dont kid yourselves that they are any better believe me.

I can understand where your coming from, both my future sister-in-law and her husband bought 07 VR Lancers. Hers was black and his was a deep blue, on the blue one you can clearly see the front and rear bars are different colour to the body. With the black one, they failed to install the rear park sensors during assembly and she did not get them untill about 10 000Km on the clock, same thing even happened to the blue one but get this - Mitsubishi installed white sensors on a blue car? In the classic words of Pauline Hanson, Please Explain? The ride in these things are bumpy and harsh, feels more like a shopping trolley with small suspension, underpowered and I'm still trying to get around the long pointy front end and short rear end thats flat and tall. Both have also complained about dealers, and even my fiance's 06 ES Lancer is no better. Compared to Ford I wouldnt be able to tell the difference, both have thier good and bad points

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

Question; (and its *not* a joke re my Sig) what model, and did it come supplied with a triangle??

Might have a sticker telltale in the boot area.

R32 and no triangle.