Are the Lights still on at Ford Australia?

[Crazy Dazz]

I've spent the last 20+ years driving ubiquitous dual-cabs on minesites. Luxes, Mazdas, Rangers, Isuzus, Navarras, even drove a Great Wall once.
So for me I guess they're like hi-vis. They're a reliable workhorse, but will never be a fashion-statement.

I have no need of a truck, and personally I will never connect with one as my personal vehicle. So there's a reason I've stopped browsing my local Ford dealer.

Ok, there's always the Mustang, but come on $90k for a Ford?

Missus wanted a new car, and Daughter is currently in the market. And what does Ford have to offer??? SFA unless you want a Ranger.

I mean sure, it's been a decade since we made Fords locally, and I've had to accept that anything new will come from Thailand, or Mexico, or Bulgaria. But nope, they can't even do that right.

Ok, so the great cars Ford once made have all died in the **** and been replaced with generic SUVs. That's fine, that's what the Missus and Daughter wanted.
So where TF are they?
Where's the Focus, Puma, or Kuga?
Where's the Escape, Explorer, or Edge?

[kevino]

There’s still new Escapes round esp in Brisbane all be it 2022/2023 models
And also Puma demo s around.
The Gc Ford dealers forecourt is chocka with Ranger Everest Transit- I think the bubbles starting to burst for Ford Ute Australia

Q Ford Springwood Brisbane is the place for Escapes
Most dealers have 1/3 demo Puma s still at 29990 sort of price

[Sprintey]

Yep Dazz I can relate to having minesites colour my view of that vehicle class. Can still see the fine red dirt throughout their AC vents and all over everything inside

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by kevino

There’s still new Escapes round esp in Brisbane all be it 2022/2023 models
And also Puma demo s around.

Q Ford Springwood Brisbane is the place for Escapes
Most dealers have 1/3 demo Puma s still at 29990 sort of price

Couldn't find one in WA.
Ford loyalty aside, the Puma won a lot of awards, and I was keen to look at them. Ended up with Juke.

[kevino]

Yes I have a 2022 demo Puma / v good car
The Juke is same thing too three cyl compact dual clutch auto
How do you find the auto in the Juke?

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by kevino

How do you find the auto in the Juke?

Missus' car. The way she drives, who TF would know.

I worry that in the future with Autonomous Cars becoming Intelligent, she'll buy one and it will knock her out with the airbag and then throttle her with the seatbelt, just to stop the abuse.

[simon varley]

yup they've given up on the non-Ranger/Everest market. Even new Puma is only coming as an EV

the good news is that Kia/Hyundai/Mazda/VW make some outstanding cars so maybe time to lose the brand loyalty? Toyota still drive like rice puddings

[uranium_death]

Consumer: Do you offer anything anything aside from the Ranger and Everest?
Ford: We did, but they didn't sell
Consumer: Did you market them?
Ford:

[Itsme]

Crazy Daz, I was in your position 4 months ago looking for a new replacement vehicle, Ford has squat choices of cars or suv's, my local ford dealer has even resorted to selling the Chinese Chery.
After buying ford vehicles for the last 25 years, I ended up purchasing Suburu Outback as my preferred choice vehicle from a good range of vehicles on offer from other car brands.
Shame Ford has gone down the path of offering limited choice of vehicles, many loyal customers are turning elsewhere.

[Adamz Ghia]

To be fair, Ford marketed the Puma heaps, and it still didn’t sell.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by uranium_death

Consumer: Do you offer anything anything aside from the Ranger and Everest?
Ford: We did, but they didn't sell
Consumer: Did you market them?

Ford: No, we spent our whole marketing budget on developing the RM Williams pack for the Ranger.

Consumer: Hey remember when you guys developed a whole load of custom parts to graft all the E-series components into a X-series body, to create the XH?
Ford: Check out our new Murray River Salted Caramel air-freshener.

[naddis01]

Yet Ford last month had the highest selling sports car under $80k, large SUV under $80k, 4x4 ute and large pickup. As well as third highest selling 4x2 ute and medium van. They are up 12.6% year on year in a market that is up 6% and they are second only to Toyota both YTD and last month. Maybe they have some idea on what they are doing?

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by naddis01

Yet Ford last month had the highest selling sports car under $80k, large SUV under $80k, 4x4 ute and large pickup. As well as third highest selling 4x2 ute and medium van. They are up 12.6% year on year in a market that is up 6% and they are second only to Toyota both YTD and last month. Maybe they have some idea on what they are doing?

You are correct, niche Market, f*** the rest.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by naddis01

Maybe they have some idea on what they are doing?

Maybe you should learn to read?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Adamz Ghia

To be fair, Ford marketed the Puma heaps, and it still didn’t sell.

If they marketed it on TV then there's the problem, they should have been giving 30-something female influencers drive cars.

Because no one under 40 watches TV unless MAFS is on

[kevino]

Marketing
Advertising
They are different animals
Advertising of Puma
Can’t remember seeing any

[chich]

We went looking for a replacement for our Territory and our local Ford dealership showed an Everest to the wife. She took one look, laughed then walked out of the place. Ended up going elsewhere & haven't looked back since. Looking to buy another car again and won't be stepping foot back into a Ford dealership.. I'm done.

90k for a tractor made in a third world country.. no thanks.

[naddis01]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Maybe you should learn to read?

I can read fine thanks. Ford don't sell a car you or your family like any more. Wah, wah.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by naddis01

I can read fine thanks.

Oh, ok, so you're just Mentally Impaired. My apologies.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by kevino

Advertising of Puma
Can’t remember seeing any

Exactly.
Anyone who thinks "Ford marketed the Puma heaps" has been smoking crack.

Ford Australia needed to put in the hard yards (and the Dollars) after screwing the country over with the PowerShit. And they just didn't.
Finally got their hands on the Puma, by most accounts a cracking little car, and did SFA with it.
Only ad I ever saw for a Puma was on Ford's own website.
Never saw one in the flesh.

Sadly, this has become an all too familiar story with Ford Australia.
Get a good product.
Don't market or stock it.
Complain that it doesn't sell and axe it.

And end of the day, they've become a self-fulfilling prophecy. They don't sell anything but Rangers, so I guess when the global bigwigs get together to discuss production, nobody but Rayong is much interested in the Australian Market. And the cycle perpetuates.