Holden closing down

**wbute** · 27-02-2020, 01:55 PM

I guess someone should start a thread on the biggest and saddest news in Australian car history. Holden to stop all operations in Australia and only offer required dealer support for spare parts and warranty for ten years.
The writing was on the wall when they stopped manufacturing cars here and GM clearly had no desire to market RHD vehicles at all.
Will it increase values of collectable Holdens, of ultimately make them only desirable to those who will remember the brand functioning? I think it will increase value for a few years, then they will rapidly slide. I think it will take Ford cars like GT’s down with them.
There won’t be much point in a Ford/Holden battle ever again. That’s all that really keeps the brand relevant to new generations.

**Valencia** · 27-02-2020, 05:59 PM

Well its a number of things that Holden are gone but lets not get into arguments over that topic
I am sad to see such an icon go i have always owned a Holden and still own 2 atm since getting my drivers licence
i even lost my virginity in one ffs

and no it wasn't a Sandman lol
The only cars that i think that will still command big $$ are only the special ones imho
i keep an eye on prices on GM cars and some have come back to earth prices or not selling at all
tells a story

**Sandaro** · 28-02-2020, 12:26 AM

Very sad of course, both as a Holden fan and a proud Aussie of what we were able to do as a small nation (population wise) .

As far as future value, I don't see much change. Valiants (Chrysler) closed near 40 years ago and the cars are what they are, hold their value

**Innuendo** · 28-02-2020, 06:47 PM

Holden will always be a part of my life regardless of there being a current day badged vehicle.
The closure doesn't really effect me in any real way, apart from it being a sad day for the marque, the Australian industry and the people it indirectly or directly employed.

At the end of the day and I'm not dismissing how proud we are/were of the Australian built cars for Australian conditions it was in reality a GM US owned and backed product.
Unfortunately for GM it has cost themselves a place in Australia/New Zealand I would say forever more. This purely comes down to dumb decisions and mismanagement.

So GM has a plan to restructure and go electric for 2023. Will this work? not likely (on a world stage anyway) as they have burnt so many people/customers and employees worldwide why would anybody want to buy from them?
They won't be the world's best at making them and have shown they have no interest in catering for the right hand drive market at all.

They were rescued by the US government. Shut down Pontiac, Saturn and SAAB. Sold Opel in Germany (a company they had own for the exact amount of time as Holden) to Peugeot/Chitgroën of France. Sold Vauxhall in the UK also to PSA (Peugeot Société Anonyme). Sold their Thailand assembly plant (Think Colorado and Zafira) to Great Wall of China. Now Holden Australia and New Zealand are gone along with the Export market Australian cars and engines were sold to.

I see PSA has turned both Opel and Vauxhall around from GM losing millions to PSA making millions with the same reduced range.

Even the Yanks don't support their current range outside of Silverado, Equinox SUV and sports models the Camaro and Corvette.
They are on a slippery slope and Holden might not be the only name/marque lost to history.