Comments on: 2007 year to date car sale statistics

By: g

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:45:25 +0000

Wow. what a difference a year makes!!
now at the end of 2008 the local car industry is in dires… and so are other global autos too! To only autos that seem to able to ride out this storm are the ones who are the japanese! although they are hurting as all autos are – in this global recession time.

But with the last 5 years of high demand for cars, the autos who mainly focused on fast/power cars and not prioritising in fuel efficient cars are now hurting… because ppl are looking at fuel prices just like in the 1970s oil crisis!! E.g. GM/Holden, Ford, etc. all in recent years increased their product line in bigger engines!! yes there are more fuel efficient then say a car of same power 10 years ago… but why are demand for small cars increasing?? Mazda and Honda have increased their local share in the auto industry mainly due to investment in the compact, small and medium segments… and then you see holden and ford still investing in multi-million into large cars!! where they could have been invested in small-medium cars…

This just proves that old habits are hard to change, and the ones that can change (for the sake of change) will be better off in the long term, even though short term may be painful.

Oh well… this is my observation with hindsight on this issue… i’m sure we all can see the light now… but what will the future hold after we ride this current storm!! What about the cost of global pollution!! The effects of the 20th century and industralisation (negative parts) are still liggering… hmm. Where are the fresh new ideas for the future!??

By: Peter Lorry

Peter Lorry — Wed, 09 May 2007 03:10:52 +0000

Well spoken Brian. You forgot a couple of things though.

Toyota outsells Holden – has a reputation for producing rugged, reliable, dependable and durable vehicles that Holden does not share and the names Landcruiser and Corolla have been recognised on Australian shores for a longer period then any current Holden name including Commodore. Infact, the Falcon has been selling in Australia longer then Commodore so how is Holden anymore Oz – i ponder the same question.

IT IS NOT.

By: Brian Barry

Brian Barry — Wed, 09 May 2007 02:02:18 +0000

Bring it on 280ZX. Who sponsors AFL, the Adelaide Crows, helps finaces ARL and sponsors North Queensland Cowboys… ‘TOYOTA’ NOT HOLDEN.

Who become successful and gained a robust reputation for thier outstanding contributions to one of Australia’S most iconic undertakings – The Snowy Mountain Scheme… ‘TOYOTA’ NOT HOLDEN.

And, lets travel to ‘REAL AUSTRALIA’ were most of our agricultural, horticultural, farms, mining, and heavy Industry’s can be located of which are the largest contributors to our successful and booming economy. What vehicles are considerably and most diversly chosen to satisfy the hard, rugged nature in this field…. TOYOTA’S NOT HOLDENS.

Farmers, Tradies, the resource sector and Heavy Industries ALL choose predominately ‘TOYOTAS’ NOT HOLDENS becuase they are by far the most capable workhorses of all. And, how many people would have been conceived in the back of a Cruiser.

I suppose you didn’t cast your narrow mind wide enough to consider ALL OF THIS. Besides, Toyota do more for our local economy in modern times then any other automotive company and todays dollars feed my family not far away yesteryears. Get over yourself dickhead and move on. Isn’t a 280ZX a Nissan hence Japanese… !!

And before i finish… who is the only one returning profit, hiring and not firing and has the largest export programme which not only helps secures local employment but a further booost to our automotive economy… ‘TOYOTA’ NOT HOLDEN.

By: 280ZX

280ZX — Tue, 08 May 2007 23:08:18 +0000

In relation to Brian Barrys comments Quote= ” Holden is not Australian but a 100% owned subsidary of GM therefore is American. So, go on and piss off back to America and drive over there or go to Korea and drive a Holden if you love them so much. Better still, get yourself tangled in a 2 star crash rated Holden”
So i have it all wrong ! Oh okay so lets change the song to ” Football, Meat pies, Kangaroos and Toyota?
Yeah sounds reeeeeeeeeeeeeal good ya dickhead! How quick we forget! I can tell you now alot more Aussies were conceived in the back of a holden than a Toyota! LOL

By: Brian Barry

Brian Barry — Tue, 08 May 2007 10:46:24 +0000

Dingo is correct Nicholas. Just looked at it myself under BRW.

The 380 that you have purchased will be a far better car then any Commodore will ever be. Mitsubishi is actually making good cars and the 380 is a damn fine example. I would buy a 380 any day before a Commodore as i too share some horrible experiances with poor grade, under-engineered, dismal quality controlled cars from Holden. The Toyota Aurion is also a damn fine car.

280ZX – Holden is not Australian but a 100% owned subsidary of GM therefore is American. So, go on and piss off back to America and drive over there or go to Korea and drive a Holden if you love them so much. Better still, get yourself tangled in a 2 star crash rated Holden.

By: Nicholas Renwick

Nicholas Renwick — Tue, 08 May 2007 03:53:39 +0000

Not in recent years they haven’t. As i said GM and Ford worldwide post massive losses but in Australia all are profitable, particularly toyota and ford. Look into it, it has been all through the papers with ford cutting back staff in the US etc

By: Dingo

Dingo — Tue, 08 May 2007 03:18:01 +0000

Nicholas, YOU ARE WRONG !!. Holden, Ford Australia and Mitsubishi Australia have all reported losses for a couple of years each. Holden has reported unprofitability for 3 consecative years.

Take time, research and identify for yourself.

Toyota Australia is the only current local automotive manufactuer returning profit. And also the only automotive company that has not decreased production and retrenched personnel within the last few years. Toyota i believe is actually recruiting within thier engineering dept. Holden just recently retrenched and eased production until a later date to be announced.

The Camry shares most of it’s components with the current Camry not the last. I do appreciate your input and find your reading good how ever.

By: Damo

Damo — Mon, 07 May 2007 11:01:33 +0000

Agree with Nick and Paul pretty much. The 380 and Aurion kill the commonwhores and falcadores in terms of reliability, refinement, safety, fuel economy, and it is really just effortless. The 380 was the only locally manufactured vehicle to make it on the securest list of cars on the Aussie market, it gets a 4 star rating at the moment and is on track to get a 5 star one as soon as they implement curtain airbags which will be occuring on the series 3 or 4. I won’t go into the update models situation and why they have decided to cutback on some of the updates on the series 3 but the series 3 still has some substantial differences but series 4 by the end of 2008 will be more like a new model than an update. Now for the Aurion, don’t you love the fact that it beats the bomadore in so many aspects, beat Holden to the ABC COTY and yet Holden wasted 1 billion on their vehicle. Mind you, the way most of the models look (Omega-Berlina) which get the shit gearboxes and everything else, it seems that they only invested 250 million or so, and I thought that it would have been smarter to do something like that and develop 2-4 vehcicles instead of this Korean crap.

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 07 May 2007 05:26:22 +0000

QUOTE = Wheels and Motor test their cars against what drives the best, so therefore the Commodore and Falcon are praised highly. Other publishers such as Drive and RACV, have other sets of critera, that don’t focus around driveablity. Haven’t you noticed with some of the crap cars they highly flavour?

Although they might not place a high weightong of vehcile dynmaics, its still tested and even then cars like the Aurion get favourable reviews while Wheels dont reflect such opinion. The wheels owned by Holden argument is old and everyone knows the truth!

And Nicholas, you make some good points… but you have ago at wheels but your first post was not far off brochure material for the 380

By: Nicholas Renwick

Nicholas Renwick — Mon, 07 May 2007 05:12:17 +0000

What a stupid argument. Of coarse you don’t buy a car to crash it. But you need some crash safety don’t you and the Barina has the lowest of any new car in Aus, and when tested, some of the features it did have failed to work. But there are other cars in the same class and price range of the Barina with far superior safety ratings. The Hyundai Getz, the Proton Savvy, and if you are looking at the top end of the Barina range then cars like the Honda Jazz and Mitsubishi Colt come in around 15990 tho 06 colts are on sale for 13990 and 06 Fiestas for 14990. Wheels has many of the same criteria as Drive and RACV and even if the others are more comprehensive, in the handling and performance categories the 380 still came out ahead of or equal to the VE and Falcon. And wheels has praised the Barina as a fun drive etc, the heavily play down any negative aspects.