Thread: Winning over the opposition..

I don't know that you can win over the remote area dwellers too easily. I lived and worked throughout the Gulf and Mount Isa districts for over twenty years and even the Nissan dealers left the region. Without a doubt Landrovers have become better made and more reliable, but dealer numbers, service centres and sheer familiarity with the Toyota products makes it hard for other marques to gain a significant foothold. I think the biggest opportunities for other brands to gain market share out there will be the release of the new Defenders and Landcruisers in 2017. If Toyota get it wrong then ................

Originally Posted by cafe latte

Tonight my good friend from Normanton called in on his way though, he hates Land Rover one of the guys who always has a story of how old mate had this problem and that problem..
We chatted for a while then he made his comments about my new car, then I told him to go and have a look inside..
"They are not Land Rover seats?" He said..
I told him they were and he was shocked, I am not sure what the newest Landy he had seen before, but he was seriously impressed with the new Defender inside. He did go on about how many passing though Normanton with Defenders have wheel bearing problems and some have universal joint failures. I asked him if the cars with the UJ failures were lifted or not he said actually yes and the last was a 130 I said well that was possibly the problem. I told him I was not aware of any wheel bearing issues from failing seals and bull dust contamination which he spoke of, but I said with all these things you dont know what the owner has been doing or how they have been driving either..
He crawled under Defy and had a good check over her and he was actually impressed even though he hated to admit it. He was quite shocked the panels fitted and the quality of the finish. He also admitted the Puma is a good engine but he had his worries about the drive line which I feel where unfounded. All the same he left with a different impression about Landies. So much BS and misinformation.
A half win at least
Chris

Yes, my BIL considered a Defender, listened to too much misinformation, and bought an 80, which he has had to spend a heap on to fix up and modify it to his needs, whereas I have kept the Defender mechanically standard so far. When we go out he used to make comments about not being sure if I could keep up, but after experiencing me stick to him like a limpet no matter where he goes, he doesn't do that much now. I also regularly mention I'm averaging 10 l/100km and ask if he is still using 17, just to rub it in a bit! Plus, the elderly MIL told him our Defender was more comfortable than his 80, so that surprised him (always said she was a nice old duckie - ha!).

Originally Posted by plusnq

I don't know that you can win over the remote area dwellers too easily. I lived and worked throughout the Gulf and Mount Isa districts for over twenty years and even the Nissan dealers left the region. Without a doubt Landrovers have become better made and more reliable, but dealer numbers, service centres and sheer familiarity with the Toyota products makes it hard for other marques to gain a significant foothold. I think the biggest opportunities for other brands to gain market share out there will be the release of the new Defenders and Landcruisers in 2017. If Toyota get it wrong then ................

Indeed. ...It's the best opportunity Land Rover are going to get to reclaim the northern 3/4 of Australia. But I fear that the next Defender will be designed and marketed as a city escape vehicle like all other Land Rovers, rather than as a heavy duty working vehicle. There are also no signs of dealer network or service centres expanding anywhere outside metro areas, so I won't be holding my breath.

Nice work Chris. "So much BS and misinformation.
A half win at least." ...the problem is we can't be confident about the next Defender being anything more than a replica, which doesn't help the market jitters.

Originally Posted by MrLandy

Indeed. ...It's the best opportunity Land Rover are going to get to reclaim the northern 3/4 of Australia. But I fear that the next Defender will be designed and marketed as a city escape vehicle like all other Land Rovers, rather than as a heavy duty working vehicle. There are also no signs of dealer network or service centres expanding anywhere outside metro areas, so I won't be holding my breath.

I'm concerned with the new regulations that all manufacturers will go this way. There is a real opportunity for someone but I think they will think the market is too small as most of the mines are already buying the "safer" vehicles. Oh well, if they drop the ball the current defenders will become even more iconic and desirable.

Originally Posted by plusnq

I'm concerned with the new regulations that all manufacturers will go this way. There is a real opportunity for someone but I think they will think the market is too small as most of the mines are already buying the "safer" vehicles. Oh well, if they drop the ball the current defenders will become even more iconic and desirable.

Yes a very good point, but that is exactly the opportunity. And yes absolutely, if they do drop the ball and build a hilux /defender replica type vehicle, all late model Defenders will be valuable. ...I must say I'm surprised to notice a significant reduction in Toyota 70 series troopies and traybacks on the roads over the past couple of years.

Originally Posted by MrLandy

Yes a very good point, but that is exactly the opportunity. And yes absolutely, if they do drop the ball and build a hilux /defender replica type vehicle, all late model Defenders will be valuable. ...I must say I'm surprised to notice a significant reduction in Toyota 70 series troopies and traybacks on the roads over the past couple of years.

You think?
I have seen soooo many 76 series towing caravans of late, it seems like everyone has one.
I think you are right though re the value of late model Defenders. If the new one is just another car then I think we will see late model Defenders going for a lot of money. I am a bit of a hifi head and I love my Turntables. Recently when Technics for example discontinued the Technics turntable (nobody else makes anything close to it in quality or design) the used prices went nuts. Now a used one costs what a new one used to cost, the same could happen to the Defender.
Chris

All I see are 200 series and Hilux: fat whales towing vans and light duty suburban tradie mobiles.

There are two ways to go for mass market, take the lead with something out of the box, like Land Rover did for years when they invented the 4WD work vehicle category and also in IMO the Discovery 4; or follow, like Land Rover are attempting to do with the Discovery Sport (IMO not worthy of the Land Rover name).

If they attempt to follow the mass market lighter duty dual cab trend with Defender they will fail. VW Amarok is already there.

If they seriously take on Toyota 70 series, they could win. But I don't think they will because there is too much focus on luxury urban escapism at Land Rover now and not enough focus on real world work vehicles fit for the other half of the planet beyond the bitumen (ie: 80%+ of the Australian continent).