Ford. Why can't they sell cars?

[Lambretta]

OK, so the Ranger ute and the Mustang sell well. Those two name plates account for 65% of all Ford sales

In the UK, the Fiesta is the #1 selling car overall. In Australia Ford are dropping it from their line up when the next gen arrives (except the excellent ST version)

In the UK the Focus is the third best selling car overall. In Australia the Focus is barely in the top 10 best selling cars in its segment. This is in spite of excellent critical acclaim (it won SMH best in segment 2 years running). Nissan dropped the Pulsar from its line up when it was outselling the Focus.
Even with a brand pulling out, the Focus dropped down the sales charts in its segment. Why?

The Kuga (now called the Escape) is the most powerful car in its segment. Comes with fixed price servicing for life, has all the technology you expect in a modern car, rides and handles better than anything in its class. It has been given very favourable reviews (in fact every review says "deserves to sell far more than they do"). You can buy a mid range Escape for $30k, around$5 to $10k cheaper than its competitors and yet the Escape sells about 1 for every 6 Mazda CX5s. Why? What is it about the current Ford line up which Australians just don't want a bar of?

What would they need to do in order to sell more?

 

[Generalzod]

OK, so the Ranger ute and the Mustang sell well. Those two name plates account for 65% of all Ford sales

In the UK, the Fiesta is the #1 selling car overall. In Australia Ford are dropping it from their line up when the next gen arrives (except the excellent ST version)

In the UK the Focus is the third best selling car overall. In Australia the Focus is barely in the top 10 best selling cars in its segment. This is in spite of excellent critical acclaim (it won SMH best in segment 2 years running). Nissan dropped the Pulsar from its line up when it was outselling the Focus.
Even with a brand pulling out, the Focus dropped down the sales charts in its segment. Why?

The Kuga (now called the Escape) is the most powerful car in its segment. Comes with fixed price servicing for life, has all the technology you expect in a modern car, rides and handles better than anything in its class. It has been given very favourable reviews (in fact every review says "deserves to sell far more than they do"). You can buy a mid range Escape for $30k, around$5 to $10k cheaper than its competitors and yet the Escape sells about 1 for every 6 Mazda CX5s. Why? What is it about the current Ford line up which Australians just don't want a bar of?

What would they need to do in order to sell more?

I don’t know why the Mustang is selling so well maybe it’s because it’s mean looks but the car is not safe at all. As for the Firsta ford executives where blaming the way drivers where driving the car when really it was a problem with the transmission.

 

[muzby]

What would they need to do in order to sell more?

sack this person:

she makes me not only NOT want to buy a ford, but to also key every ford i see in a car park.

 

[Generalzod]

Hire her:

 

[gUt]

both of those chicks have decided me against ford and toyota for life but at least the toyota chick is a human.

 

[Life's Good]

Because they’re sh*t?

 

[Generalzod]

Because they’re sh*t?

Well that's basically it...

 

[Life's Good]

Well that's basically it...

I’m pretty sure @Lambretta is a Roosters fan. Has Uncle Nick asked you to carry out market research incognito?

 

[Generalzod]

I’m pretty sure @Lambretta is a Roosters fan. Has Uncle Nick asked you to carry out market research incognito?

He is to busy having Raki in Santorini now days lol

 

[Lambretta]

I’m pretty sure @Lambretta is a Roosters fan. Has Uncle Nick asked you to carry out market research incognito?

Yes I am a Roosters supporter
Whilst I would be honoured to do research for Nick he hasn't asked. I just happen to also be a Ford fan.

 

[Lambretta]

Because they’re sh*t?

Its something I have considered, but having driven lots of different types of car I know its not true. Ok, so Falcons were ropey at times, but the imported Fords are good.

There is definitely a perception problem among Australians but I am not certain why this is the case.

 

[Lambretta]

I don’t know why the Mustang is selling so well maybe it’s because it’s mean looks but the car is not safe at all. As for the Firsta ford executives where blaming the way drivers where driving the car when really it was a problem with the transmission.

Ford does have a history of not fessing up when they f**k up. They fixed the transmission issue though it took longer than it should.

The Mustang 2 Star safety rating thing is almost laughable, don't but into that.

Euro testing basically rates ANY car without lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and autonomous braking as a 2 Star car. So that means all cars previously given 5 star are now 2 star rated, including the car I drive and all those Subarus with 5 star ratings from a couple of years ago.

The next gen Mustang will have them. Will be interesting to see how it stacks up then

It also raises the question of those safety features being on some models and not others. Say you buy a base model Corolla without the safety gear, but its available as an option or on a higher spec car. What rating does your car get?? I am actually not sure.

All that said, the Mustangs popularity confuses me. Its basically a 2 seater. An enormous 2 seater with a 5 litre V8. I would have thought it a niche vehicle at best. Sure I want one, because I am a Ford lovin' redneck, but I thought I was in the minority

 

[Pommy]

people in the capital cities would rather buy an SUV than a focus or a fiesta despite not needing one or being able to drive or park one.

 

[Generalzod]

Ford does have a history of not fessing up when they f**k up. They fixed the transmission issue though it took longer than it should.

The Mustang 2 Star safety rating thing is almost laughable, don't but into that.

Euro testing basically rates ANY car without lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and autonomous braking as a 2 Star car. So that means all cars previously given 5 star are now 2 star rated, including the car I drive and all those Subarus with 5 star ratings from a couple of years ago.

The next gen Mustang will have them. Will be interesting to see how it stacks up then

It also raises the question of those safety features being on some models and not others. Say you buy a base model Corolla without the safety gear, but its available as an option or on a higher spec car. What rating does your car get?? I am actually not sure.

All that said, the Mustangs popularity confuses me. Its basically a 2 seater. An enormous 2 seater with a 5 litre V8. I would have thought it a niche vehicle at best. Sure I want one, because I am a Ford lovin' redneck, but I thought I was in the minority

Here is a car for you lambretta:

 

[Generalzod]

people in the capital cities would rather buy an SUV than a focus or a fiesta despite not needing one or being able to drive or park one.

I'll buy the ford Focus RS..

 

[Lambretta]

Here is a car for you lambretta:

I absolutely LOVE these and cannot for the life of me understand why GM didn't make them in rhd from the word go. Its a Commodore under the skin made with Aussie know how. The fact it was kept from us for so long shows that the General is as daft as Ford.

If I had to choose between the Mustang and the Camero, I would choose buy one of each

 

[JohnStoppafarty]

I am /was a Ford freak too. I still like to see them win on a racetrack but that is rare these days as I do not have fox.
The way Ford treated people with that powershit transmission was deplorable as was some of the other issues in some other models, all well documented by John Cadogan In the above posted youtube channel. Go there and type in Ford and watch the videos.
Then you had Ford "lobby" the Australian Gov (as did GM) for billions of dollars to keep manufacture alive in Aus, only to take the money and f**k off anyway.
The worst decision they ever made though was to pull funding from 888 racing. When they did that,888 said f**k you and went to Holden. Race wins sell cars here in Aus (or used to) and Ford gave so many wins away with that decision.
If I ever am cashed up enough to build my dream car, it will be a Ford but one from the 70's. You would not catch me dead in a Ford showroom for a new one.
If you're smart, you'll embrace Jap or Korean and be very happy you did. The product, service and support is far superior to any Ford.
If you are a diehard Holden fan, It's even worse. Every car they sell now Is a total shitbox and they are just as bad as Ford if not worse when it comes to support.
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-relea...10-million-penalty-for-unconscionable-conduct
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/holden-undertakes-to-comply-with-consumer-guarantees

 

[Cherry_poppins]

Its something I have considered, but having driven lots of different types of car I know its not true. Ok, so Falcons were ropey at times, but the imported Fords are good.

There is definitely a perception problem among Australians but I am not certain why this is the case.

XK was awful but it was also American

Post XL up to XE were good cars

EA was f**ked,EB-EL was also ahead of the competition

AU wasn't awful if you didn't have to look at it, but the VT-VE was a dog of a car, underpowered and overweight

The fact that they got away with that 200kw (260kw at the fly) rear wheel defies belief, they called the boss a boat anchor what about that heap of shit?

BA was on par if not better than eurotrash, as was the FG and FGX

Overall while it had a few blemishes the Falcon was hands down better value for money

Holden is an American brand that uses patriotism to sell cars to moronic Australians at a hefty fee for what you get

SV6 VF was $48k for 230kw at the flywheel vs the XR6T Pushing out close to 270kw at the treads, rated 270kw at the fly for some reason going for $44k or so

Ford can't sell cars because the fathers of morons were jealous of the Ford brand, same reason manly and Collingwood are despised, jealous f**kwits

 

[JohnStoppafarty]

Agree with ^^^^ most of that. Wouldn't know about AFL but Manly is hated for reasons other than that. My Father goes for Manly and I do not. Dad always had Fords though.

 

[Lambretta]

If you're smart, you'll embrace Jap or Korean and be very happy you did. The product, service and support is far superior to any Ford.

I have owned the following cars since I lived in Australia

• Nissan Pulsar '91 (boring to drive, under-powered, no air con - awful but reliable)
• Nissan Pulsar '93 Q (boring to drive but reliable)
• Nissan Pulsar '98 Pulsar Plus (I loved this car - it was dullish but it had everything I needed at the time)
• Holden Vectra 2.2 CD (lovely to drive and a cut above any Jap offering in how it handled and felt inside the cabin until it got over 5 years of age and everything stopped working and it cost more than it was worth each year just to bloody service - typical Vauxhall / Opal crap)
• Toyota Corolla (Hand down the worst car I have ever owned - it was so bloody boring I was in danger of falling asleep at the wheel and killing myself every time I got in it. It had absolutely no redeeming features whatsoever other than it was reliable. How Corolla's have been so popular for so long is beyond me. And it was ugly - really, really ugly. Worst purchase in my life)
• Nissan X-Trail diesel (OK, so they're uninspiring to drive, but uber practical - we did lots of inner City driving and whilst we loved the car we found the diesel particulate filter caused problems so we traded it for a petrol model)
• Nissan X-Trail ST-L (leather seats, uber practical inside, massive boot, had everything we loved about the diesel without the particulate filter problem. Although it was uninspiring to drive, I was super happy with the car - sold it after doing many k's in it. I would recommend an X-Trail to anyone who wants a useful, practical family car)
• Mazda 3 Maxx Gen 1 (a great about town car - awful on the open road. Mazda have made a huge song and dance about how "zoom zoom" interesting their cars are to drive. Sure, when you compare them to a f**king Toyota. The 3 was a great car if you never, ever, left the City. It gave driver feedback through the steering wheel, which was direct and well balanced. But get it on the freeway and the constant booming in the cabin just grated on the nerves. I bought mine in Tamworth and by the time I got it back to Sydney I felt ill. Still, once I was in Sydney, it was great...... compared to a Toyota
• Ford Focus XR5 Turbo (hands down the best car I have ever owned. It is super fun to drive, has awesome power, gives amazing driver involvement and everything works all the time. I have had it for 4 years and service it once a year - other than replacing brake dics which I myself damaged, the car has never cost more than $500 to service. Nothing has ever gone wrong except a flat battery which was 7 years old at the time. Ford pays for NRMA membership for the first 7 years, so I just called them and they drove to me and replaced it. Excellent service. The servicing regime is fixed for life, so I always know what it will cost me. If I need a car while mine is in for servicing, I can get a free loan car if I book in advance. Hands down the best car I have ever had and the best service I have ever had.

I must not be that smart I guess.

PS. I have a soft spot for Hyundai's and have driven a couple of the i30's on loan. In fact, I hired a Toyota Corolla and a Hyundai i30 almost back to back and couldn't tell them apart. They were both as dull and uninspiring as each other. The Corolla I hired was a few years newer than the one I owned and was a massive step up in how it handled. They had improved from death by boredom into utterly bland without any faults. More an absence of emotion - a vehicular void if you will. But a 7 year unlimited kilometre warranty is not to be ignored. If I were buying a car for my daughter and just wanted a reliable car which I didn't have to drive, I would buy a Hyundai in a heartbeat (if she hadn't told me she would rather die than drive a Hyundai)

PPS - my daughters favourite car is a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air with a V8 engine. Not sure how many 15 year olds have that on their wish list!