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The Pub For General Automotive Related Talk |
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06-01-2012, 08:34 PM | #1 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,078
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The Mazda 6 tops the list as the most sold vehicle in the country. The Holden Commodore comes in at number 2. While our very own Ford Falcon drops to 9th place overall for 2011.
Whats going on? With the Mazda 6 taking the honors, it suggests what a lot of us will deny - that Australian consumers are moving towards small sedans with 4 Cylinders while remaining practical. The 2nd placing for the Commodore tells us, there's still hope for the big 6 cylinder sedan in today's world. Could the green marketing push behind the SIDI engine have inspired some to stick to a larger car? |
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06-01-2012, 08:43 PM | #2 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,730
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I think plenty of people are still buying Falcons - they're just buying second hand ones. There are heaps of families in suburbia with a second hand Falcon or Commodore in the driveway.
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2011 FG XR6 Sedan |
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06-01-2012, 08:45 PM | #3 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,078
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What's stopping people from buying a new one?
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06-01-2012, 08:48 PM | #4 | ||
Barra Turbo > V8
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 26,169
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I was faced with this option when i bought my XR5.
I went in looking for a manual FG XR6T ute but bought the 5 instead. The Focus does everything my old AU TE50 did (Noise aside) Now this is my opinion so dont get anyones knickers in a knot but IMO my focus is a lot better finished then the falcons i drove ie quality only thing i didnt like was the lack of features but the ute didnt have many more. Looking back im glad i chose what i did, i love my focus and i was unsure if i would but i do.
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-2011 XR6 Turbo Ute - Lux Pack - M6 -2022 Hyundai Tucson Highlander Diesel N Line |
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06-01-2012, 08:49 PM | #5 | ||
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SA
Posts: 5,213
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Resale value?
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06-01-2012, 08:49 PM | #6 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Perth
Posts: 141
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Fear (created by the media) that they will stop building them soon. It seems like Mitsubishi all over again. Too many people believe what they hear on Today Tonight.
What they don't say is Ford Aus has one of the most highly respected design teams in the world and the next Commodore is likely to be designed overseas.
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2009 PK Ranger 4x4 1997 EL Falcon |
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06-01-2012, 08:54 PM | #7 | ||
Now Fordless
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Fremantle, WA
Posts: 3,611
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Its Mazda 3 not the 6.
What you need to think about is what benefit will there be in buying a Falcon over one of the smaller cars like a 3? The small car has the same tech maybe more, better fuel economy, easier to drive around, quick enough for the street, can hold 5 people at a squeeze and is much cheaper to buy. The only reason you would buy a Falcon is maybe for towing or if you were regularly travelling with 5 people which wouldnt be often. Then in those cases you have the competition from a number of SUVs/4WDS/people movers. Large sedans just dont have a purpose anymore. As everything keeps going up in cost they will probably disappear. Commodore may of finished 2nd but they are no where near the number of sales they used to make and they only have the Falcon and Aurion as competition in their segment. |
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06-01-2012, 09:11 PM | #8 | ||
IWCMOGTVM Club Supporter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northern Suburbs Melbourne
Posts: 17,799
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Most Falcons are bought by Fleets so the Falcon didn't really have much for them until the end of the year.
Just remember the Terri ended up being the best selling SUV in Australia. Many more private sales.....guess were the market has been moving in the last 10 years.
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Daniel |
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06-01-2012, 09:17 PM | #9 | ||
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 9,292
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And those "small cars" arent so small any more either.
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06-01-2012, 09:18 PM | #10 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 3,246
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I've been saying it awhile, but having a Falcon hatch as opposed to the sedan would be terrific.
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BA2 XR8 Rapid M6 Ute - Lid - Tint -18s 226.8rwkW@178kmh/537Nm@140kmh 1/9/2013 14.2@163kmh 23/10/2013 Boss349 built. Not yet run. Waiting on a shell. Retrotech thread http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...1363569&page=6 |
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06-01-2012, 09:20 PM | #11 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Perth
Posts: 369
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Was talking to my old man about this today and he was saying the mazda 3 is close to 1700 kg, about 8inches wider than a vb commodore, and about 4 inches shorter. I think our definition of a small car is changing, rather than people actually wanting smaller cars.
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06-01-2012, 09:23 PM | #12 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Canberra Region
Posts: 9,052
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Your old man is wrong, very wrong
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2016 FGX XR8 Sprint, 6speed manual, Kinetic Blue #170 2004 BA wagon RTV project. 1998 EL XR8, Auto, Hot Chilli Red 1993 ED XR6, 5speed, Polynesian Green. 1 of 329. Retired 1968 XT Falcon 500 wagon, 3 on the tree, 3.6L. Patina project. |
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06-01-2012, 09:25 PM | #13 | |||
IWCMOGTVM Club Supporter
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Location: Northern Suburbs Melbourne
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Daniel |
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06-01-2012, 09:26 PM | #14 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,876
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The most successful car company for the last decade and the one with the most powerful marketing machine could only sell just over 8000 Aurion sedans last year. Large sedans are dead. Falcon is doing well under the circumstances.
As for Commodore, truth is Commodore was tracking that fast downward in 2008. Sportwagon saved Commodore's @rse. |
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06-01-2012, 09:27 PM | #15 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Outback Queensland
Posts: 79
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Small/Medium cars have caught up in power, options, finish, and most of all reliability. With all the same quality for less money, the question should be why would you buy a Falcon. I could only see that it would be bought by those who buy it just for the name and it's heritage.
I wouldn't buy one. In fact, Ford hasn't made a car I would consider buying in the last 10 years. Even then I didn't want a FWD car, but you buy it because there's nothing else unless you go for an older car. Last Falcon I owned was an XF S-Pack, an XE S-pack before that, a Sundowner XC panelvan before that. I got my licence in an XA GT Coupe, and had an XW 302 Fairmont on my learners. In the 60's, 70's, 80's and the beginning of the 90's the big Fords/Holdens were the best, most reliable vehicle on the road in Austalia, and for the same money for an import you got less car, that wasn't overly reliable and expensive on parts. It made sense then to buy a Falcon. All this before you even consider the reduction in protection to the local manufacturers in trade policy in recent times. If I look at what's on the market today I'd be looking at a BMW. But then I look at the type of people driving them and come to my senses.
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** 2000 Ford Cougar SW 2.5L V6 ** ** 1978 Ford BC Escort Coupe 1600 ** ** 1978 Ford Cortina TE Ghia **
Last edited by K10wN; 06-01-2012 at 09:32 PM. |
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06-01-2012, 09:42 PM | #16 | ||||
Regular Member
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06-01-2012, 09:57 PM | #17 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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Location: Newcastle
Posts: 3,246
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But, for the last year and a bit, I would have to wholeheartedly agree. Sportwagon stopped what was a very downward sales trajectory of the Commodore because at that time, Falcon had already pretty much stabilised (at a lower level). I love the look, comfort and the way our FG XR6 drives and appreciate it's practicality and boot size. But, if it were a hatch or sportwagon it would be even better and more versatile. Right now if we were to buy new it would be a TS TDCi Territory for practicality or an FG2 XR6T Falcon for performance. But, the Territory would get the nod.
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BA2 XR8 Rapid M6 Ute - Lid - Tint -18s 226.8rwkW@178kmh/537Nm@140kmh 1/9/2013 14.2@163kmh 23/10/2013 Boss349 built. Not yet run. Waiting on a shell. Retrotech thread http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...1363569&page=6 |
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06-01-2012, 10:00 PM | #18 | ||||
Regular Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Outback Queensland
Posts: 79
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No where did I say Falcon is no longer reliable. What I did say is imported cars which were not known to be so reliable in past years now are of equal standard to cope with harsh Aussie conditions. Why BMW? What else is there in a medium sized 2 door coupe that is rear wheel drive (135i)?
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** 2000 Ford Cougar SW 2.5L V6 ** ** 1978 Ford BC Escort Coupe 1600 ** ** 1978 Ford Cortina TE Ghia **
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06-01-2012, 10:15 PM | #19 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Melb north
Posts: 12,025
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it easy to buy a good second hand fleet henry with low k`s, market has heaps of them, i was tempted myself a few weeks ago, fg less than 100,000 kilometers, if you wanted to save a buk why would you buy new? less than 20k drive away.
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06-01-2012, 10:16 PM | #20 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,653
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Do poeple really buy cars based on stero types? There must be ALLOT of dumb people out there!! I guess things like price, safetly, cost & features mean nothing..
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06-01-2012, 10:22 PM | #21 | |||
2003 BA Falcon XT
Join Date: Jun 2008
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2003 BA Ford Falcon XT IMPCO LPG Vapour Injection. DETAILING Meguiar's NXT Car Wash Collonite #845 Insulator Wax Bowden's Own Happy Ending & Fully Slick Chemtech CT-18 Truck Wash (Wheels & Chassis) Bowden's Own Wheely Clean & Tyre Sheen Bowden's Own Three Way Paint Decontamination Spray OILS AND FILTERS Nulon Full Synthetic 10w-40 Nulon Long Life Coolant Ryco Oil & Air Filters My Instagram Account: @ba_falcon2003
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06-01-2012, 10:31 PM | #22 | ||
Cruising...
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Perth
Posts: 3,819
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Whats stopping me?
Lack of funds. But there's no wagon anyway..
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FBT '98 BA XT '04 F100 4x4 '82 Subaru Outback '02 |
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06-01-2012, 10:34 PM | #23 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Outback Queensland
Posts: 79
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I certainly won't argue about the reliability of the Tojo Landcruiser. My father is still driving Landcruisers and has had many of them over the last 40 years.
But we are talking about cars and similar cars to the Falcon, not offroaders/4x4's.
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** 2000 Ford Cougar SW 2.5L V6 ** ** 1978 Ford BC Escort Coupe 1600 ** ** 1978 Ford Cortina TE Ghia **
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06-01-2012, 10:43 PM | #24 | ||
Peter Car
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: geelong
Posts: 23,145
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Small cars cost half of what large cars do. Is it a simple case that now small cars can offer good interior space, better economy and equipment levels comparable to large cars that's its a no brainer people are choosing them over much more expensive large cars?
Large cars used to offer much more than what small cars used to, they were poorly equipped, cramped, gutless and tinny. Now that they aren't I really don't know why so many people are surprised small cars outsell large. Its a simple equation that if 2 products can do the same thing then the one that costs half as much will sell in much higher numbers. SUV's have also become highly available, and aren't like big trucks to drive anymore like the old Cruisers and Patrols used to be. People have much more alternatives than they used to. |
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06-01-2012, 10:53 PM | #25 | |||
Pity the fool
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Wait Awhile
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Fords I own or have owned: 1970 XW Falcon GT replica | 1970 XW Falcon | 1971 XY Fairmont | 1973 ZG Fairlane | 1986 XF Falcon panel van | 1987 XFII Falcon S-Pack | 1988 XF Falcon GLS ute | 1993 EBII Fairmont V8 | 1996 XG Falcon ute | 2000 AU Falcon wagon | 2004 BA Falcon XT | 2012 SZ Territory Titanium AWD Proud to buy Australian and support Ford Australia through thick and thin |
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06-01-2012, 10:55 PM | #26 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,876
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I still think a Falcon is one of the most reliable cars you can buy off the showroom floor... I dont think reliability is ever been a Falcon problem at all.
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06-01-2012, 10:58 PM | #27 | |||
Blue Blood
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Location: SA
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The Fleet 1999 AU XR8 4sp adaptive shift, Black, Momo T-bar and S/wheel, Bodykit, 17" wheels, Sunroof - 180Ks - THE DAILY 1995 EF XR8 Manual Heritage Green, Factory Bodykit and FTRs - 126Ks 1986 XF Fairmont Ghia 4.1L EFI Regency Red, trip computer, venetians - 163Ks 1979 P6 LTD 351, Goldust - 185Ks 1989 Mazda MX5, Red 1.6L, 5sp manual - 102Ks |
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06-01-2012, 11:00 PM | #28 | |||
Regular Member
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Location: Outback Queensland
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As the Falcon has not been available as a 2 door since the XC, that should make it pretty obvious why I'm not interested in newer Falcons. A 2 door BA->FG I'd probably look twice at and consider it very closely. I test drove the Mustang and the BA was a much nicer drive with a better driving position. The LHD to RHD conversion on the Mustang was a shocker.
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** 2000 Ford Cougar SW 2.5L V6 ** ** 1978 Ford BC Escort Coupe 1600 ** ** 1978 Ford Cortina TE Ghia **
Last edited by K10wN; 06-01-2012 at 11:08 PM. |
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06-01-2012, 11:20 PM | #29 | ||
Banned
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Posts: 3,922
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If people dont start buying new ones then there wont be many used falcons available in the future.
I think most people are more astute with their money these days, buying what they need rather than overspending. Lets face it, a mazda 3 or camry do a good job for a people mover for a family. Why spend the extra $5000-$10000 to get into a falcon. Do families really need 400nm torque for a family car? People are usually mortgaged to the tilt or struggling to pay their rent. Have a few kids etc etc. now do they say I need a car with 400nm torque or save $5000-10000 and get something to do the job, with the money saved a tv and a holiday. All competing for that dollar. Not all of us are car enthusiasts, probably a dying breed, I reckon most people out there wont even know to change the oil of a car. As for commodore continuing to sell I think the looks of the commodore are more well received. For instance a mate of mine just bought a holden ss new. I asked him did you consider a xr6t or fpv gs? He flat out said no didnt even consider it. Im a falcon man as we all are. Ill buy a new fpv gs or gt in the short to medium future because im an enthusiast not because it fits my needs better than a mazda 3. To sell falcons to the mainstream, ford have to attack on price, too many cheaper alternatives that meet a families minimum criteria. (falcon offers more but at a price) Last edited by RAPID_BA; 06-01-2012 at 11:27 PM. |
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06-01-2012, 11:26 PM | #30 | |||
3..2..1..
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Location: Bellbird park
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