Prelim March 2013 sales figures

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

Do you care to share this fact with the rest of us?? Pulsar sold 1630 units in March, how many of them are to rental companies? If you can't answer that question, then you have a theory & not a fact!!

Because they have been for years with models like Tiida, Micra and Xtrail. Only way they can sell them in big numbers by gutsing the prices and flogging them to rental companies. Nissan is a key player in rental, was a strategy they took on board some years ago.

[stevz]

I'd love to know where all these Mazda 3's are going. It is now the oldest and most unrefined car in its class, not to mention ugliest.

Either Mazda are registering unsold stock to inflate figures, or are the buying public really such blind, brain dead sheep???

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by stevz

I'd love to know where all these Mazda 3's are going. It is now the oldest and most unrefined car in its class, not to mention ugliest.

Either Mazda are registering unsold stock to inflate figures, or are the buying public really such blind, brain dead sheep???

They are because people read car reviews and car news and just accept opinions as fact.
The locals just don't get a good word, very nasty stuff this, it's like Fairfax is on an anti-assistance crusade..

[csv8]

Nissan Pulsar outselling Commodore !!! the 1% interest rate would have helped ??? apart from fleet sales..

[naddis01]

Originally Posted by stevz

I'd love to know where all these Mazda 3's are going. It is now the oldest and most unrefined car in its class, not to mention ugliest.

Either Mazda are registering unsold stock to inflate figures, or are the buying public really such blind, brain dead sheep???

What makes them so terrible other than a little road noise?

[irish2]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

I drive one of those and it doesn't feel particularly slow :-)

You are talking 10+ seconds to 100. People get the urge of torque and "feel" like the are going fast, but in actual fact they are slow and cumbersome. Most don't even get used as a "ute". They are simply the new wang comparison device.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by naddis01

What makes them so terrible other than a little road noise?

it's called unsubstantiated tripe with a chip on the shoulder.

[BroadyFord]

Originally Posted by jpd80

They are because people read car reviews and car news and just accept opinions as fact.
The locals just don't get a good word, very nasty stuff this, it's like Fairfax is on an anti-assistance crusade..

Communist newspaper against government intervention in industry?

The world truly has gone mad!

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by BroadyFord

Communist newspaper against government intervention in industry?

The world truly has gone mad!

I think Fairfax and Murdoch would be the anthesis of communism.....
The right wing capitalists abhor any form of subsidy to business...

[csv8]

I hired a YARIS ,,,POS !!! POS!!! never again!!!

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

Over the Easter period here in Tasmania, I have seen a lot of Ecoboost G6's as rental cars. Looks like one of the rental car companies got a new fleet of them. Should make some good buys on the second hand market.

Ordinarily I would say rental sales are bad, but I think it can only be a good thing to have bums in seats in the Ecoboost so that people can see how good they are.

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

VE stock is woeful. Don't know what they are doing but dealers have very little VE stock. Either Holdens building predominantly Cruzeiro stock or VF is in production. Perhaps they are building export stock at the moment as well as media / eval cars.

Originally Posted by jpd80

I think you'll find that Holden is still making VEs but dealers are loath to stock them because they know everyone is holding off for VF.
This is a terrible time for Holden dealers but IMO, Holden should be offering strong discounts right up to VF to shift the last of the VEs.

Yeah, it could be a combination of what you both said. But, GMHolden did say themselves that it was an I.T. problem with their vehicle delivery / inventory systems which stopped all the 'sales' in February 2013 from being registered.

I called it BS at the time. I think it is more like the dealers went either individually or collectively, no we're not going to take all of those superseded or about to be superseded VE's and Cruze's. A great mate of mine worked for a large GMH dealership for 5 years until recently and he talked about how the dealership was always being forced to take Commodores despite being hard to shift.

I know it is not uncommon for GMHolden to lie to the media / public. But their 'reasoning' for low February sales have proven to be a farce. Those 'sales' that didn't make it through should have definitely been processed in March.

If they are just being built for export or for launch, then why lie? Why blame I.T.?

It's a downbeat situation for the locals at the moment, I hope it turns around.

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Ordinarily I would say rental sales are bad, but I think it can only be a good thing to have bums in seats in the Ecoboost so that people can see how good they are.

I said something similar on another forum I frequent. The Ecoboost Falcon is a great car. The more people who experience it and appreciate it the better. I think strong performance is to be expected from a Falcon, but when they go to refuel I think they will be very suprised at it's economy.

Put it this way, spend $5m on an advertising campaign. Or discount the price by $5000 to sell 1,000 of them to a rental fleet. What will reach a wider audience and have tangible sales?

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by irish2

You are talking 10+ seconds to 100. People get the urge of torque and "feel" like the are going fast, but in actual fact they are slow and cumbersome. Most don't even get used as a "ute". They are simply the new wang comparison device.

this. a lot of "suits with utes" now days. especially duel cab styleside things. its a trend at the moment. while some are used for work. most are traybacks that see work. how many styleside utes do you see now with big 20" rims and not a scratch in the load compartment?? I don't see the point of having a ute if your not going too use it as a ute. I use mine as a ute alot

[flooded one]

on a positive thing!! I seen an ecolpi falcon today!!! silver one too!!!

[kevino]

Nissan had a 1% finance deal in March hence people buy ....Nissans!

Focus had a big month in Jan because it had 2.9% finance.

[mr smith]

Originally Posted by stevz

The Australian car buying public disgust me.

Farewell to this once great nation, as it is well and truly going to the dogs.

Totally agree, if there was an award for the dumbest country we would be at the top.

[Windsor220]

Why exactly are they dumb? Because they are buying cars that they want ?

[jpd80]

Just as the Ford faithful vented their spleens as Falcon sales faded, so to the Holden Fans will be devastated
to see the unfolding low sales of Commodore. Falcon was always the sacrificial lamb that scorn could be heaped
upon but now the grim reality is beginning to hit home, the reduction in large cars is happening to both makes..

It's not about having the wrong styling, engine option, trim level ect... we're way beyond that,
people just don't want large sedans anymore, there's so many other vehicles that people can choose from.

[BHDOGS]

people dont want them because there always told people dont want them and people dont want what other people dont want

[mr smith]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

Why exactly are they dumb? Because they are buying cars that they want ?

Dumb, because the same people that whinge that jobs are going and quality has long disappeared are the same who buy cheap c$%p from overseas.
Do people actually test drive new cars before they buy?
I get to drive nearly every new model car under $150K and the Aussie made stuff is among the best for our conditions.

[mr smith]

Originally Posted by BHDOGS

people dont want them because there always told people dont want them and people dont want what other people dont want

Spot on. Lots of new niche markets now to allow the public to find an identity through their vehicle of choice.
The new Volvo is Subaru, greenies drive VWs (ironic when you think of the carbon foot print to ship to OZ), cool tradies drive drive dual cab utes, etc.

On top the public is told the aussie sedan is unloved and on the way down and no one wants to be on the losing team. Sad....

[Pepscobra]

Originally Posted by mr smith

On top the public is told the aussie sedan is unloved and on the way down and no one wants to be on the losing team. Sad....

This is exactly it...!
once the downward spiral starts and the image is tarnished, its very hard to reverse.
The (uneducated?) buying public 'read' that the Falcon/Commodore is already dead... so why would they want something with no future.

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by Pepscobra

This is exactly it...!
once the downward spiral starts and the image is tarnished, its very hard to reverse.
The (uneducated?) buying public 'read' that the Falcon/Commodore is already dead... so why would they want something with no future.

yep. its sad how 95% of people think something is bad because the majority say its bad. comments like falcon/commodore are dead do more harm then good. I think the media in this country have a lot too answer for

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by irish2

You are talking 10+ seconds to 100. People get the urge of torque and "feel" like the are going fast, but in actual fact they are slow and cumbersome. Most don't even get used as a "ute". They are simply the new wang comparison device.

Mine is 8.5 0-100 (Navara 550 ) , I do accept your point and I was of the same opinion until recently. What I found though the ute is extremely practical ( with separate space for dogs , bikes etc) , great towing performance , fuel economy is under 9l per 100 and performance is more than acceptable. In my other (much faster) car I get frustrated and annoyed by slow traffic while driving a Navara is relaxing experience. Not too mention curbs and potholes are non issue and as our recent off road adventure proved it to be good on corrugations and gravel roads. I would drive it much more is I could wrestle the keys off my better half..

[BroadyFord]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Just as the Ford faithful vented their spleens as Falcon sales faded, so to the Holden Fans will be devastated
to see the unfolding low sales of Commodore. Falcon was always the sacrificial lamb that scorn could be heaped
upon but now the grim reality is beginning to hit home, the reduction in large cars is happening to both makes..

It's not about having the wrong styling, engine option, trim level ect... we're way beyond that,
people just don't want large sedans anymore, there's so many other vehicles that people can choose from.

You are right to an extent.

Is there a correlation between Camry having a cracker of a month and motoring journos not questioning Toyota's Australian manufacturing operations?

I wonder...

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

Mine is 8.5 0-100 (Navara 550 ) , I do accept your point and I was of the same opinion until recently. What I found though the ute is extremely practical ( with separate space for dogs , bikes etc) , great towing performance , fuel economy is under 9l per 100 and performance is more than acceptable. In my other (much faster) car I get frustrated and annoyed by slow traffic while driving a Navara is relaxing experience. Not too mention curbs and potholes are non issue and as our recent off road adventure proved it to be good on corrugations and gravel roads. I would drive it much more is I could wrestle the keys off my better half..

but yours gets used as a ute and goes off road. I think irish2 was referring to people that buy 4 wheel drive utes and wagons etc that don't use them for there purpose. there are a lot of people that do this which I cant see the point too personally. like the soccer mums that buy a 4 wheel drive just too take the kids too school in the city and never venture off road etc

[babyf6]

Originally Posted by wildrider

but yours gets used as a ute and goes off road. I think irish2 was referring to people that buy 4 wheel drive utes and wagons etc that don't use them for there purpose. there are a lot of people that do this which I cant see the point too personally. like the soccer mums that buy a 4 wheel drive just too take the kids too school in the city and never venture off road etc

Its called keeping up with the jones' syndrome

[Brazen]

Ford and Holden should thank their lucky stars they sell as many as they do, they have utterly failed in selling the 'large car'.

You have cars like SUVs selling on their room and outdoors image, Utes selling on their towing ability, small cars selling on their economy, sports cars selling on their handling.

Large cars have all the great attributes of the most popular classes of cars, they are the perfect all-rounder. A car purchase is one of the biggest purchases a person makes - why buy a car which can only do one thing well when instead you could buy a Falcon which does everything well.

A bozo at work is having a kid and is wanting to trade in his VE on a Forester for a 'bigger car'. A VE is about as roomy as a Landcruiser yet he doesn't associate his Aussie large car as something a family would own... He owns the bloody thing but no one has ever sold the idea to him of a Commodore as a car you own when you have a kid.

A girl who does cross country horse racing in my team thought her parents BA Falcon was not suitable to tow a small horse float, she thought she needed to buy a gutless 2wd 80s Hilux... A Falcon would run rings around it towing the 1100kg.

My neighbours bought a Pajero because they do a lot of highway work.... Highway work in a Pajero? A Falcon or Commodre would have been multiple times better, but they just don't see a Falcon or Commodore as a car for the open road....

The buying public are completely lost on the attributes of large cars, the last lot of marketing which really sold the large car concept was back in the early 90s, almost two decades ago. People need to have the strengths of the large car shoved in their face, at the moment Ford and Holden give you no reason to buy a Falcon or Commodore.

I actually remember the idea of a Falcon was the idea of the open road, tight fast curves through a valley, visiting the family farm down a long dirt road, towing the boat with the kids to the lake. Ford and Holden need to bring back the romance of the large Aussie car, they actually need to give us a reason to buy one.

I have a link to an ad, i can already feel the eyes roll, but look beyond the cheesyness, the incredibly dated fashion and jingle and actually see what they are selling: good times with the people you care about, the open road, holidays, excellent handling, towing, overtaking power, ruggedness.... Notice how much of the ad is filmed in bushland, they are selling the idea of getting away from it all. When you buy a Falcon you buy a bit of Australia.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O3JywSRne5Y

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by BroadyFord

You are right to an extent.

Is there a correlation between Camry having a cracker of a month and motoring journos not questioning Toyota's Australian manufacturing operations?

I wonder...

More like Toyota's monthly total sales being more than all of Holden and Ford put together...