Keep Holden

[chrisp]

Dr Terry, I dont know where you got 3 from
The top selling cars in January 2014 were
Mazda 3 -4561
Corolla -2941
Hilux -2544
i30 -2486
Commodore -2364
Focus -2074
CX-5 -1853
Ranger -1617
Golf -1557
ix35 -1496

[Dr Terry]

Dr Terry, I dont know where you got 3 from
The top selling cars in January 2014 were
Mazda 3 -4561
Corolla -2941
Hilux -2544
i30 -2486
Commodore -2364
Focus -2074
CX-5 -1853
Ranger -1617
Golf -1557
ix35 -1496

That is only one (abnormal) month. I was talking for most of the last half of last year. The Jan figures were just released I hadn't seen them yet.

However the numbers you've shown still illustrate my point. Commodore sedan & wagon - 2364 cars, plus utes, plus Caprice plus all HSV, would make it an easy number 2. That 4561 for the Mazda 3 is a runout model at extreme give-away prices.

Dr Terry

[HK1837]

I'm not saying Holden, Ford and Toyota aren't building in general want some people want. Just they don't build what I want/need, hence I didn't buy one for the same reason I wouldn't buy pink flouro workshirts if I needed yellow ones, or I woudln't buy a box trailer if I wanted a car trailer.

For my car I needed a reliable, large but relatively economical petrol engined ute that can easily tow a 2500kg trailer. The closest is the Hilux 4.0L V6, but even that is a compromise as the engine is a litre too small.
For my mrs I wanted a 5 seat, rear or AWD SUV or sedan with decent power that was no bigger in footprint that the V2 CV8 it was replacing, or hopefully slightly smaller. No-one could fulfill this requirement locally either. Lexus RX350 was the logical choice. Commodore or Calais or Falcon are too big. Toyota is FWD. If the Commodore or Calais were the size of a VL or VN with the 6.0L engine that is what i'd have now.

[wbute]

I have not bought any Australian built car except for two WB utes and a HX Sandman.
They haven't built a car that I want since. I have two 4WD Hilux one tonners. We have a Prado wagon.
I buy what I choose. I don't feel guilty for GMH stopping building cars. The fact is they are not an Australian company and all the profits go off shore.
GMH base decisions on world economics not Australian economics. This country has a tiny market and is a long way from the rest of the world.
No Australian would be able to start a car company here now or ever without it being a State funded business. So perhaps more relevant support needs to be given to more relevant business that suit Australia.
Perhaps we need to get past this phobia about Agriculture and start pushing it and then jobs will be created in that industry.
All government needs a rethink, less on complete economic driven policy and more focus on sustainable future for all. Funding an unfeasible business like car manufacturing in Australia is not the way to keep people in work.

[Taily]

If you still looking for somebody to blame, have a close look at what is currently parked in your driveway.

Yep, two Falcons (a new FG XR50T for SWMBO and an AU wagon - albeit a bit old now but doing fine on the work commute duties - but it isn't like I can buy another new wagon unless I buy something different) and the HJ. Before that we had bought a brand new Mitsubishi 380 which we planned on keeping for a lot longer than we did (was an unrepairable write off in the end) but was actually a great drive and easy enough to service - just didn't fare well on slippery boat ramps with the boat, which was the only let down for us. I did waver once and bought a second hand Golf off a mate (seemed like a good idea at the time), but lets not go there as I had no intention of "going Euro" again... Tell me why you can buy a 10-12 year old CLK for 15 grand on Carpoint.... Euro gets real expensive to live with if you keep them too long.

Had plans to upgrade the wagon to a new supercharged XR8 when they release them but leaning towards a Holden based "play" engine for the ute instead, while I rebuild the original factory fitted engine back to standard specs and mothball it under the bench ready to be re-fitted when I want to take it back to the way it came from the factory. My reasoning is that I might use the ute from time to time to commute (on a weekend or similar) so it will get some use (rare), but the main thing is that if I don't build the "play" engine now while those businesses that specialise in them are still around then once that expertise is gone there is no getting it back. I don't buy a car just to flog it off in a couple of years, I like to keep them for a longer timeframe than that, besides four regos might be a bit too much for the pocket.

This result of all three manufacturers pulling out has been a perfect storm brewing for a very long time. You cannot attribute cause or blame to any one thing by itself that has been listed previously but I will add to the previous that I think the main reason people buy certain cars is the price point they are offered at in our markets - which means our local product cannot hope to compete with when dollars are the primary driving factor of many wishing to purchase a new vehicle. We have many things to be thankful for in this country, the standard of living is one. This, unfortunately for local suppliers and manufacturers both having to compete with cheap and subsidised imports, comes at the cost of higher wages and many other costs that have to be covered by the bottom line.

I feel for those caught up in this situation directly, as well as those in both supply and aftermarket industries that may end-up out of work because of the Big Threes' departure. I'll bet a penny to a pound that once the Fat Lady has bowed out then prices will steadily rise....

[wbute]

Perfect storm my $&se. Businesses have faced the same issues since Adam was a boy. GM chose the moment to pull out that suited it!

[Taily]

Perfect storm my $&se. Businesses have faced the same issues since Adam was a boy. GM chose the moment to pull out that suited it!

That maybe so, especially when viewed with the rising cost of sourcing locally produced componentry after Ford bailed due to the local supplier economies of scale in their own operations? So tell us James why then did all three car makers pull the pin almost simultaneously? When "Adam" was around there was no FTA's in place stop import tariffs and trade barriers protecting our primary industry, so yeah things were much much better then and there was strong growth in jobs and the economy.

The perfect storm I was referring to was the fact that as our economy weathered the GFC quite well so it became an attractive dumping ground for cheap to produce vehicle manufacturers all clamouring for the high (in relation to the $US)Australian dollar. That in itself didn't kill our industry, but add to that import restrictions reduced to nothing over time, strongly subsidised (by their own governments) imports, a high standard of living (strewth, look at the real cost of housing where the work is...) placing upward pressure upon wages and what else do you need? This situation took a couple of decades to produce but each contributing factor brought the inevitable (without government assistance) closer.

We seem to be heading back towards a situation we were in after the Depression and before WW2, that is we import most things. If you have a look at other economies that have emerged stronger than ever asfter the GFC (such as Germany) you'll note that they, for the most part during the depths of the GFC built underlying strength into their currencies by reducing very high wages, keeping employment levels stable and preparing for when the rest of the world kicked off again. Watch that space as far as manufacturing goes...

Time Magazine article - Old World Tiger, How Germany Became the China of Europe Well worth a read as to what could have really been achieved here in Australia if we had a government with enough vision and old fashioned intestinal fortitude to see it through.

How Germany can save the Euro

Disagree all you like. There are other contributing factors to it all for sure, but they were the main ingredients that caused the scenario I put forward.

Australian Disease has entered the terminal phase - ABC News

[Cocko750]

Bought my first brand new car in 06 ve ss still got it not worth trading so my boy will get it when he has a full licence, had a demo vy sv8 before that ,also have a 97 diesel rodeo then comes a long line of projects , a hx sedan on a rotisserie , a hz tonner in panel shop and a line up of qs to wb and a few fb/ ek utes and a van also a few rodeos for parts it's starting to need a few lol

[wbute]

More to the point on buying Holden to save the company.... You are all accessing the internet with electronic devices made overseas. You are all wearing clothes made overseas. Truth be known, food is the the only majorly available product that is locally produced. Even that is being undermined by imports.
Dick Smith tried to educate people about imports in the early 90's with his Ausbuy idea. No one took any notice of him. It's too late now to complain. Wages are cheaper in Asia. That's all there is to it.

[Robbo]

My family have alway's supported the Australian car industry, even before
it was an issue. My father bought
the first model falcon, the XK, it
was a demo. He then proceeded
to buy every second model up
to the XC in 1977. There were also
a couple of new Holden's in there
as well. As for me, I have never owned
an import and never will. I own an 07
VZ ute that I bought new, and I am very
happy and proud of it." Buy Australian products".