Ford US making better cars than Ford AUS

[Eaturbo]

Originally Posted by SteveJH

And who is paying for this? Ford are not going to spend more on Falcon unless they can get their investment back.

Its good business sense, nothing more, nothing less.

Customers who will actually buy a Falcon which is seen to be lifting the Bar with a few small extra features. The base models can miss out on some stuff but if I'm paying $60,000 for a G6E Turbo i would like to see things like LED tail lights and HID head lights. I have held off buying a new Falcon in the FG model as i did not need a new car but also i could not see much advancement from my BA2 XR6 Turbo which had a luxury pack and sunroof. The FG2 has also failed to move the bar to a point where i can see a reason to upgrade. My Mate has a 2006 Calais V V8 and it has front and rear park assist which comes up on the colour screen on dash, heated external mirrors and a rear dvd player all STD. An FG2 G6E has none of this and its near 6 years newer. I'm am only pointing out that return on investment comes from offering customers cars they want or more so want to sell there current car and buy a new one. The point is that Ford have failed to do this and are seeing this in the take up rate of new cars especially from retail customers. Customers wanting to update there cars are looking else where to find the features they want and expect in todays market. I dont want Ford to reinvent themselves just add a bit more content to the cars. In the territory section, one guy brought a new Jeep Grand Cherokee as it was streets ahead of the Territory in features as well as 175kw diesel. This guy has had a Territory as his last car but the new one was not any better than his old one, Go figure

[Road_Warrior]

[QUOTE=EaturboAn FG2 G6E has none of this and its near 6 years newer. [/QUOTE]

Umm the FGII G6E comes standard with 8 inch colour touchscreen ICC and rear park assist

[Eaturbo]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Umm the FGII G6E comes standard with 8 inch colour touchscreen ICC and rear park assist

As i said the Calais has FRONT AND REAR PARK ASSIST not just rear. Surely Ford can offer front park assist these days when holden had it nearly 6 years ago. And it still doesnt have a STD DVD player or heated wing mirrors which is great in colder climates. I am a Ford man but i am through with making excuses for them.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

When you look at the FG/SZ range, they have not really introduced anymore technology than what the SX/BA had 7 years ago and in fact we went backwards when the dropped the sunroof option from the range.

Can you show me the BA with a touch screen, ipod integration, blue tooth, ZF 6 speed auto, MP3 capability & usb capability please?

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

Customers who will actually buy a Falcon which is seen to be lifting the Bar with a few small extra features. The base models can miss out on some stuff but if I'm paying $60,000 for a G6E Turbo i would like to see things like LED tail lights and HID head lights. I have held off buying a new Falcon in the FG model as i did not need a new car but also i could not see much advancement from my BA2 XR6 Turbo which had a luxury pack and sunroof. The FG2 has also failed to move the bar to a point where i can see a reason to upgrade. My Mate has a 2006 Calais V V8 and it has front and rear park assist which comes up on the colour screen on dash, heated external mirrors and a rear dvd player all STD. An FG2 G6E has none of this and its near 6 years newer. I'm am only pointing out that return on investment comes from offering customers cars they want or more so want to sell there current car and buy a new one. The point is that Ford have failed to do this and are seeing this in the take up rate of new cars especially from retail customers. Customers wanting to update there cars are looking else where to find the features they want and expect in todays market. I dont want Ford to reinvent themselves just add a bit more content to the cars. In the territory section, one guy brought a new Jeep Grand Cherokee as it was streets ahead of the Territory in features as well as 175kw diesel. This guy has had a Territory as his last car but the new one was not any better than his old one, Go figure

Amazing how quickly, "I would like to see.." suddenly becomes, "I expect.."

I can remember when (BFII) Ford tried to tell us that ZF would remain an option for the immediate future...

[Eaturbo]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Amazing how quickly, "I would like to see.." suddenly becomes, "I expect.."

I can remember when (BFII) Ford tried to tell us that ZF would remain an option for the immediate future...

Lets not get too carried away with analising my wording. I am just saying that there is room for improvement. Maybe i am alone in saying what i have above but i would buy a new Falcon if they gave it abit more of an update. Can you tell me why Falcon has dropped in sales so much compared to the Commodore. Where have all the Falcon drivers gone and what are they driving now. I am trying to be honest about things not burying my head in the sand.

[Eaturbo]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Can you show me the BA with a touch screen, ipod integration, blue tooth, ZF 6 speed auto, MP3 capability & usb capability please?

Maybe not the BA but the BF had ZF and Ipod intergration.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

Maybe not the BA but the BF had ZF and Ipod intergration.

BF got optional bluetooth. Never had ipod integration.

[Eaturbo]

Originally Posted by vztrt

BF got optional bluetooth. Never had ipod integration.

Territory and BF Falcon had Ipod intergration, do a google search or even ebay has them listed as a genuine ford spare part and yes your right they had optional blue tooth so one less thing the FG had that was new

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

Territory and BF Falcon had Ipod intergration, do a google search or even ebay has them listed as a genuine ford spare part and yes your right they had optional blue tooth so one less thing the FG had that was new

Looking at the BFII options list is showing the aux input (were they use ipod/mp3). Can't see anything about proper ipod integration.

[Eaturbo]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Looking at the BFII options list is showing the aux input (were they use ipod/mp3). Can't see anything about proper ipod integration.

Your right it didn't have proper intergration just AUX input. But this still doesn't change my opinion that Ford has done better elsewhere in the world and why not here in AUS.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

Your right it didn't have proper intergration just AUX input. But this still doesn't change my opinion that Ford has done better elsewhere in the world and why not here in AUS.

I guess everyone sees value in cars differently. Most of the 'tech' they put in cars is pointless to me while others see a use for it I guess.

........


But the one question I have, is if the Falcon got all these gizmo's. Would people actually go buy new Falcons or would there be another excuse.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

Can you tell me why Falcon has dropped in sales so much compared to the Commodore.

Yes, Holden sells
- a bucket load of Omega Commodores into fleet sales than Ford does with XT.
- about the same amount of SV6s as Ford sells XR6s
- a bucket load more V8 and high series Commodores than Ford sells XR6T and G6E/G6ET

Holden is notorious for over producing and then offering huge discounts,
their factory is geared to build 6,000 Commodores a month but only sold
3,000 odd in November, so stock is building up quickly..

Lets not get too carried away with analising my wording.

Sorry sir, you misunderstood what I meant, check what I said after that
in my quote about Ford telling us at BF II that ZF would remain an option
In that context, "I would like.." in BFII becomes "I expect" in FG update...

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Can you show me the BA with a touch screen, ipod integration, blue tooth, ZF 6 speed auto, MP3 capability & usb capability please?

Not to mention DSC, curtain airbags, HMI screen in the cluster, 5 star crash safety etc.

Equipment levels have improved, but the next generation will possibly share global electronic systems like the new Ranger shares with Focus and Mondeo. This will open up a new range of possible options and features.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by vztrt

But the one question I have, is if the Falcon got all these gizmo's. Would people actually go buy new Falcons or would there be another excuse.

Of course they won't! There will be some other lame excuse, you can guarantee that.

[Eaturbo]

I understand everything that you guys have replied with but i still stand firm on what i say. Ford AUS could have added a few more small features to give the Falcon that little bit more WOW factor and lets face it none of us would knock it back. Take the FPV range for example, would it be to much to ask for LED tailights and HID headlights and if this was STD on G6E it would not add to much to the cost. Nearly every car i have brought has had a sunroof and this is my personal preference, now this really annoyed me when ford dropped it from the FG options list and i have been looking at a Caprice with sunroof, rear DVD HID lights and LED tail lights front and rear park assist and 3 zone A/C.

[Road_Warrior]

Yeah but that's a Caprice! It's supposed to have all that stuff!

[Grobbo]

My sister bought a brand new Audi Q7 Quattro in the States for $37k. Fully loaded with leather and the works. That's what the Explorer is competing against.
Same car here was well into 6 figures at the time. Amazing.

[charles_wif_xf]

You sure about that Grobbo? The Q7's are way cheaper than here, but as far as I can tell (the Audi US website), they start at US$46k (obviously thats RRP).

[Grobbo]

Hmm yeah you are correct they are a bit more than that at the moment. It was a 3.7 Petrol, so must have been a run out 2010, as I don't see that motor in the line up for 2011.
I wanted her to get the diesel but it was $42k - heaps more!

Still, the Explorer's not far off, but $5k in the US proabably puts it in a completely different category right?

Local built cars here are still pretty good value I reckon, compared to a lot of places anyway - and Australians were recently deemed to be the richest people on earth, not sure how that works but it was on SBS so must be true!