March 2015 vfacts - Holden 4th Ford 7th - Page 4

csv8 · 11-04-2015, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adamz Ghia

Fiesta is due for replacement soon too isn't it, surely within the next 18 months? The current shape has been with us since 2008.

I had a look at the new Hyundai i30Active X GD3,auto,front grill similar to Genesis but the kit for $22,990 drive away is real value, even the base Active has reversing camera as standard equip.....Leaves Corolla, Fiesta, Focus, Cruze, Lancer etc for dead..they have some catching up to do.Manual is $2k less.
2016 Fiesta redesign http://2016fordcars.com/2016-ford-fiesta-preview/

**Fordman1** · 11-04-2015, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

I had a look at the new Hyundai i30Active X GD3,auto,front grill similar to Genesis but the kit for $22,990 drive away is real value, even the base Active has reversing camera as standard equip.....Leaves Corolla, Fiesta, Focus, Cruze, Lancer etc for dead..they have some catching up to do.Manual is $2k less.
2016 Fiesta redesign http://2016fordcars.com/2016-ford-fiesta-preview/

Fiesta is the next class down

**russellw** · 11-04-2015, 06:28 PM

I've also uploaded the Quarter 1 Segment Review to the Tech portal.

It may take a little while for the images to load.

Cheers
Russ

XR Martin · 11-04-2015, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

I had a look at the new Hyundai i30Active X GD3,auto,front grill similar to Genesis but the kit for $22,990 drive away is real value, even the base Active has reversing camera as standard equip.....Leaves Corolla, Fiesta, Focus, Cruze, Lancer etc for dead..they have some catching up to do.Manual is $2k less.
2016 Fiesta redesign http://2016fordcars.com/2016-ford-fiesta-preview/

I dont get the love for the I30, I work around them all day and they are seriously very ordinary. Thin & blotchy paint, poor A/C, rattly engines, rattly body, awful carpet, peeling chrome interior trim, bubbling centre console lid material, nauseating 'new car smell' (its like a burning plastic smell) The Elantras suffer from serious fabric fading across the rear headrests and back seats after only one summer.

People say FGs are bad quality but they arnt anywhere near as bad as the I30s at the same age.

Oh but its got a reverse camera so it must be great

The Cerato is a much better car.

1TUFFUTE · 11-04-2015, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

I dont get the love for the I30, I work around them all day and they are seriously very ordinary. Thin & blotchy paint, poor A/C, rattly engines, rattly body, awful carpet, peeling chrome interior trim, bubbling centre console lid material, nauseating 'new car smell' (its like a burning plastic smell) The Elantras suffer from serious fabric fading across the rear headrests and back seats after only one summer.

People say FGs are bad quality but they arnt anywhere near as bad as the I30s at the same age.

Oh but its got a reverse camera so it must be great

The Cerato is a much better car.

I've made very similar discoveries about my mates i30. At least half those things you mention.
Apparently the aircons being crap are due to the filters clogging, needing changing at something stupid like every 4mnths as recommended by Hyundai. (That is all but rural driving)

Not to mention its ride quality is terrible. (I have a very sensitive and picky requirement for a good compliant suspension). For me, even my brothers modified jeep rides more compliant over dodgy roads!

1TUFFUTE · 12-04-2015, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

wonders will never cease. i actually agree with you on something

.

That's great bud.....it's just an odds game. You were bound to get it right eventually......

**russellw** · 12-04-2015, 11:23 AM

The Supplementary Statistics for March have been uploaded now.

Cheers
Russ

csv8 · 12-04-2015, 01:29 PM

Fair bit of anti Hyundai , here. My wife's sister has an i30 Trophy 18 months old, none of the problems mentioned. My i20 is 3 months old, still no problems. Filters every 4 months ? my service manual states, "every 12 months unless driving in adverse conditions" I would have bought a Fiesta but dealer couldn't come close to i20 price...Hyundai have improved a lot in recent years..new Sonata Top Gear gives it 8/10, Sure, it would be nice to drive a Ford but Ford need to have good at price, marketing, dealers etc, all mentioned so times here.....http://usedcars.about.com/od/researc...yota-Drops.htm

xrystl · 12-04-2015, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imolator

I don't know If I would call the Focus junk, but surfing brouchures it does engine wise look old school in comparison to the much of the competition.

I wonder if the DCT in the Focus can be blamed for lack of sales. AFAIR the Focus sold approx 670 in Feb compared to the Golf which has a DSG also selling about 1780.

This March the Golf sold 2198, so it having a DSG is doing well. Cant find Focus figures for March yet but would be surprised if it improved on Feb figures.

.

Ford vs VW = VW have smart marketing and advertising people , Ford's Kindergarten marketing and advertising people haven't got a clue - I wonder how many fewer Kuga's have been sold because of their dumb advertising

1TUFFUTE · 12-04-2015, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

Fair bit of anti Hyundai , here. My wife's sister has an i30 Trophy 18 months old, none of the problems mentioned. My i20 is 3 months old, still no problems. Filters every 4 months ? my service manual states, "every 12 months unless driving in adverse conditions" I would have bought a Fiesta but dealer couldn't come close to i20 price...Hyundai have improved a lot in recent years..new Sonata Top Gear gives it 8/10, Sure, it would be nice to drive a Ford but Ford need to have good at price, marketing, dealers etc, all mentioned so times here.....http://usedcars.about.com/od/researc...yota-Drops.htm

Yeah that was what the dealer told him lol. They only do city driving so it was slightly believable....for a second. But even having to change them every year seems weird I thought!
Actually now you mention it....that same mates sister has an i20 now and havnt heard of any issues from her.

vztrt · 13-04-2015, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

I dont get the love for the I30, I work around them all day and they are seriously very ordinary. Thin & blotchy paint, poor A/C, rattly engines, rattly body, awful carpet, peeling chrome interior trim, bubbling centre console lid material, nauseating 'new car smell' (its like a burning plastic smell) The Elantras suffer from serious fabric fading across the rear headrests and back seats after only one summer.

People say FGs are bad quality but they arnt anywhere near as bad as the I30s at the same age.

Oh but its got a reverse camera so it must be great

The Cerato is a much better car.

If you want a good Hyundai you need to spend money. I compared the IX35 and the Santa Fe and the IX35 was very ordinary. The Santa Fe was a huge step up (not sure how they go long term) but for the price they're asking I'd buy a Terri.
Mind you in saying that the IX35 wasn't the worst car out there and if you get a good deal on it then I can see people buying one.

.............

What about the Holden Cruze figures. They're dismal and seeing as they make little to no profit Holden must not be happy with the sales figures.

csv8 · 13-04-2015, 10:23 AM

vztrt...new ix35 coming in June..rebadged Tucson

vztrt · 13-04-2015, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

vztrt...new ix35 coming in June..rebadged Tucson

Yes I know. If that interior is fixed and doesn't look cheap like the current one then you would think it'll sell well.

Brazen · 13-04-2015, 10:55 AM

Edit.

**DFB FGXR6** · 14-04-2015, 08:13 PM

Article from GoAuto.

Some good points explained, but also some of the usual excuses in my opinion.

Ford shifts its focus to private sales and is not fazed by sales drop: Katic

14 April 2015
By TIM NICHOLSON
FORD Australia says it is not concerned about its sliding sales and market share, as it takes a more “long-term” approach to building its business by concentrating on private sales.

The local arm of the Blue Oval slipped to seventh place on last month’s sales charts behind Japanese importer Mitsubishi, with Ford recording 6023 sales, a drop of 14.4 per cent over the same month in 2014.

Year-to-date sales are down by 18.5 per cent, with the American-owned car-maker again in seventh spot; a significant decline compared with 10 years ago when Ford was the third best-selling brand in the first quarter of 2005 behind Toyota and Holden, with 32,323 sales.

Speaking with GoAuto at last week’s Mondeo media launch in Canberra, Ford Australia general manager of marketing David Katic said the company was more focussed on customer satisfaction and building the brand than sales data.
“We are taking the long-term view to our business,” he said. “We are not interested in last month's sales results, we are interested in building our business for the long term.

“That's why we spend a lot of time talking about investing in the consumer experience. All those investments are not to see more cars today, it's to sell more cars over the long term.”

Mr Katic said Ford Australia’s business model had been reset, and the company was now concentrating on altering the public’s perception of the brand, which will stop manufacturing cars here by October 2016.

“We are changing our brand from being a large car, fleet-focussed brand to being a consumer-centric broad manufacturer of vehicles and that takes time,” he said. “And we are absolutely where we want to be.”

When reminded of Ford’s position at number seven on the sales charts, Mr Katic was unfazed, detailing some of the strategies in place to transform the business.

“That means you don't do rental volume. Our rental volume this year versus five-to-six years ago is literally thousands of units’ difference – multiple points of market share,” he said.
“We have also reduced our reliance on heavily discounted fleet volume. That's all part of us re-orientating to be more retail focussed. Overall there is a strategic shift in our business to be a broad based manufacturer rather than focusing on Falcon sales, which, we all know, we have been focussed on over the years.

“The second element is launching all these new products this year so we are in run-out of our products.”

The new product that Mr Katic referred to include the just-launched Mondeo mid-sizer, a mid-life facelift for the Focus due in August or September, the Australian-designed and developed Everest full-size SUV coming also in September, the updated Ranger ute in July and the Mustang pony car in the fourth quarter.

With Ford’s two top-selling models, Focus and Ranger, now in run-out, Mr Katic said there is pressure on dealers with stock running low on both models, which is also impacting the sales figures.

“Our Focus volume has fallen significantly this year,” he noted. “We are going to struggle on Focus from now until September, because when you go to change to a major new model, 12 months ago we had to forecast our sales, and we have been exceeding our number on Focus.
“Eventually when you exceed your sales you only have so many you can sell, so you can't sell them twice. Don't take my word for it; call up a dealer and try and get Focus stock and they will tell you they are frustrated because they haven't got enough stock.”

Ford shifted 2615 examples of Focus to the end of March this year, a 45.4 per cent drop over January to March 2014, which has pushed it behind the strong-selling Volkswagen Golf (5357).

Mr Katic said having pent-up demand for models was a “good problem to have” and – despite wishing they had healthier stock levels – it was part of the company’ s wider plan.

“When we get to the new model, we want to have very low level stocks of the old model, that always allows you to get off to a strong start with the new model,” he said.

He took a swipe at companies that continually offer heavily discounted models and promote retail offers, arguing that it has a negative impact on the brand and, ultimately, customers.

“We are not one of these manufacturers that stack them high and sell them cheap,” Mr Katic asserted. “We are not doing that because it damages your residuals long term, and it hurts the customers when they go to re-sell.”
Discussing Ford’s slow-selling Kuga mid-size SUV, Mr Katic admitted that Ford was “late to that segment” and acknowledged its more established competitors, but said it could increase its sales slowly overtime in a similar manner to the Ranger ute.

“When we went into the Kuga segment, we have been deliberately cautious. We are very confident in the product, the write-ups you guys (media) are giving us are good, so there are no issues with product,” he said.

“What we know is we are in a segment with competitors that have been there for 15 to 20 years – (Toyota) RAV4, (Honda) CR-V, Nissan with its X-Trail – really strong brands.

“Kuga is exactly where we want to be, and I would just point to Ranger and we have grown that tremendously. That's what we think Kuga will do over time against those entrenched competitors.”

Just 785 Kugas have found homes since the start of the year, well off the pace of the top-selling Mazda CX-5 (6128), Nissan X-Trail (4989) and Toyota RAV4 (4379).

When asked if dealers were in favour of the shift in focus to private sales, Mr Katic said the dealer network is supportive of the strategy, and highlighted positive gains in terms of customer satisfaction.

“We sat with our dealer network two or three years ago now and we said ‘look we need to change as a business from this large-car fleet company, Falcon company, to being a broad-spectrum manufacturer’. And our promise to the dealers was that we are going to give you globally cutting-edge products. We think we are delivering that,” Mr Katic said.

“What we need Ford and the dealers to work on is to deliver a best-in-class consumer experience. And our dealers have been tremendously supportive. Not once have they resisted us.

“Our customer satisfaction is ramping up significantly. We won CANSTAR's five-star customer service award in December last year. So we are starting to get some external plaudits for some significant progress.”

1TUFFUTE · 14-04-2015, 09:17 PM

Last parts interesting.....

“Our customer satisfaction is ramping up significantly. We won CANSTAR's five-star customer service award in December last year. So we are starting to get some external plaudits for some significant progress.”

Express · 15-04-2015, 12:40 AM

Katic is from Marketing and I applaud him for his well thought out answers but I do note it is classic spin and of cause you wouldn’t expect anything less.

It’ll be interesting to compare this article with Ford’s sales figures and private market perception in say two or three years’ time.

csv8 · 15-04-2015, 05:29 AM

Since when is a company not interested in sales?????

**russellw** · 15-04-2015, 05:46 AM

Some of the points make good sense. While I am sure that FoA would like to see higher sales, the reality is that the proportion of their sales that went to fleet rather than private buyers was always scary and fleet sales have two negative impacts: one to public perception of the brand / model and the other to resale values which, in turn, impacts the private buyer.

It's a vicious cycle and one that takes a certain amount of either courage or (as is the case now) a changing market situation to reverse. Or at least start to.

It's always been about improving the buying and ownership experience and that's the long game that Ford are going to have to play in order to become a more significant force in the local landscape.

Cheers
Russ

Yellow_Festiva · 15-04-2015, 06:12 AM

Dear Mr Katic

If you want the buying public to take you seriously then increase the ancient warranty Ford offers to at least 5 years / 160,000km.

Most of the competition has had this as a minimum for more than several years now or more than double the years Ford offers.

As a buyer of 2 new cars in the last 2 years this part of the ownership experience heavily influenced where I spent my cash, and frankly, anything with only 3 years didn't make the short list.

You also need to be more stringent with the few very bad dealerships that are giving the Ford brand a bad name.

Regards,

Jason.

Yellow_Festiva · 15-04-2015, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adamz Ghia

What has Hyundai done that Ford hasn't...?

Backed and marketed their product the best they can.

Simple.

**Fordman1** · 15-04-2015, 06:54 AM

Marketing dribble. .....

Mazda anyone ?

Hally · 15-04-2015, 07:51 AM

The only way to get a Canstar award is to buy it. That is the Canstar model.

vztrt · 15-04-2015, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Dear Mr Katic

If you want the buying public to take you seriously then increase the ancient warranty Ford offers to at least 5 years / 160,000km.

Most of the competition has had this as a minimum for more than several years now or more than double the years Ford offers.

As a buyer of 2 new cars in the last 2 years this part of the ownership experience heavily influenced where I spent my cash, and frankly, anything with only 3 years didn't make the short list.

You also need to be more stringent with the few very bad dealerships that are giving the Ford brand a bad name.

Regards,

Jason.

Really?

Lets look at the top 10 brands that sold.

Toyota — 3 year/100,000km warranty
Mazda — 3 year/Unlimted km warranty
Hyundai — 5 year/Unlimited Km warranty (must be serviced through Hyundai for this)
Holden — 3 year/100,000km warranty
Nissan — 3 year 100,000km warranty
Mitsubishi — 5 year/130,000km warrenty (which seems to be getting dropped to 100,000km for MY15 models)
Ford — 3 year/100,000km warranty
Volkswagen — 3 year/unlimed km warranty
Honda — 3 year/100,000km warranty
Subaru — 3 year/unlimited km warranty

So for you the choice was very small.

701let · 15-04-2015, 06:08 PM

What rubbish. they should just sell 100 cars a month then. I'm sure the customer satisfaction would ramp up through the roof.

Only a die hard would believe that dribble

SumoDog68 · 15-04-2015, 06:28 PM

Why not offer customer satisfaction to fleets AND private buyers ?

1TUFFUTE · 15-04-2015, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

You also need to be more stringent with the few very bad dealerships that are giving the Ford brand a bad name.

Regards,

Jason.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1TUFFUTE

Last parts interesting.....

“Our customer satisfaction is ramping up significantly. We won CANSTAR's five-star customer service award in December last year. So we are starting to get some external plaudits for some significant progress.”

I also don't agree with your view on warranties. Not only is it still relatively normal....it's only one item in a list of a million you could stamp your feet about.
Some won't buy the new mondeo because it has no rear sir vents on the base model

. Every car and every brand has their quirks and bad dealers.

Yellow_Festiva · 15-04-2015, 08:57 PM

Hmmm thought a few more there had longer warranties actually.

Oh well, I'm sure Ford know what they're doing to increase sales ;)...

Having said that, going to 5 years would be a marketing advantage that could help it move back up the ladder.

csv8 · 15-04-2015, 08:59 PM

Kia has 7 years and 7 year capped price servicing.http://www.kia.com.au/owners/7-year-...ed-km-warranty

1TUFFUTE · 15-04-2015, 09:23 PM

The warranty is such a small part of the pie tho. Look at kias 7 year warranty. They are having plenty of dramas atm with those very 7 year warranted cars. It's only smart for a company to provide a warranty on their products for what they can afford to cover depending on how well they think the cars are built. Bold move going to 7 years anyway I thought tho. That's a LONG time......