Holden - how long before the end?

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Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

So, they're still producing a RWD family sedan?
No?

They didn't listen to me, then.

It appears they listened to you and produced an unsaleable fwd buzz box. And are now facing the death of the brand.

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They didn't listen to their market rushing off to purchase anything other than large RWD sedan based products, back around 2007 when the VE came out. Their current model sedan hasn't been on the market long enough to judge its sales figures. Anyway, four cylinder fuzz boxes haven't buzzed horribly since the advent of balance shafts. Even Camry's had them and goodness knows how many millions of those things have sold worldwide. They've even been given the seal of approval of the forum's resident expert on quality motor vehicles, I believe.

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Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

So, the new fwd Commodore is flying off he showroom floor, is it?
From what I understand, the old Commodore is outselling the new Commodore. Heard that on the radio news last week.

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That's probably because the last production was predominately V8's aimed squarely at the petrol heads. Once they're all sold it's back to business as normal.

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Originally Posted by bee utey

They are easier to park, which appeals to 99% of buyers waaay more than ultimate handling or imagined crash safety. Want to carry/tow more than a 6x4 load? Get a soft roader, get a van, get a twin cab ute. Want a sports car? Buy a sports car. This obsession with sports handling in a family four door clunker is an obsession of a few hard core people who can't imagine a good alternative.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBDyeWofcLY

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Who seriously has problems parking a commodore? If you cant park that dont try parking a dual cab ute.

A commodore can tow more than a 6x4 quite well.

If you can afford and want a soft roader, a dual cab ute and a sports car, go ahead. Or you can get one car that will do most of what those can do.

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Originally Posted by rammypluge

Who seriously has problems parking a commodore? If you cant park that dont try parking a dual cab ute.

A commodore can tow more than a 6x4 quite well.

If you can afford and want a soft roader, a dual cab ute and a sports car, go ahead. Or you can get one car that will do most of what those can do.

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But a Commode can't even get over the shopping centre speed humps without scraping it's plastic spoiler. Then try to squeeze into a space left by a twin cab ute without scarring the plastic. Then try parking it with a 6x4 attached in the space used by a loaded twin cab.

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Originally Posted by pop058

Ford and GMH just needed quite a few thousand people (with cheque books) that share your ideals. Unfortunately they couldn't find them or they don't exist. Me thinks the latter. [biggrin]

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Fashion. Car sales is substantially about fashion these days. How many people buy soft roaders with the idea of going on adventures they never do. How many people should sensibly buy a people mover that instead buy something less suitable. Fashion has swings and roundabouts.

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Originally Posted by bee utey

The tiny percentage of buyers looking for tyre smoke from the optional monster Chev V8 engines can't support the local manufacture of an obsolete product.

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Originally Posted by bee utey

That's probably because the last production was predominately V8's aimed squarely at the petrol heads. Once they're all sold it's back to business as normal.

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One minute you say the V8s don't sell and the next minute you say they do.

Yeah, I know what you are doing.

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Originally Posted by bee utey

But a Commode can't even get over the shopping centre speed humps without scraping it's plastic spoiler. Then try to squeeze into a space left by a twin cab ute without scarring the plastic. Then try parking it with a 6x4 attached in the space used by a loaded twin cab.

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I am totally against all the low hanging plastic crap, but fwd cars are no better, and getting a soft roader for that reason is a travesty of sensibility.

The reality is that soft roaders are sold on the basis of perceived adventure, yet they are unsuitable for anything designated as a 4wd track. Sure, it might do it, but plastic bits, sumps, rims etc will get damaged and its just dumb. Anything not designated a 4wd track is suitable for a commodore, although more so earlier examples.

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Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

One minute you say the V8s don't sell and the next minute you say they do.

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There is a small part of the market that has bought up the last production of V8's simply because of their being no longer available. Many will end up as shed fillers waiting for their value to rise. V8 lovers don't support continuous production in a market as small as Australia's.

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Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

Yeah, I know what you are doing.

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Bet you haven't a clue.[bigrolf]

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Originally Posted by rammypluge

I am totally against all the low hanging plastic crap, but fwd cars are no better, and getting a soft roader for that reason is a travesty of sensibility.

The reality is that soft roaders are sold on the basis of perceived adventure, yet they are unsuitable for anything designated as a 4wd track. Sure, it might do it, but plastic bits, sumps, rims etc will get damaged and its just dumb. Anything not designated a 4wd track is suitable for a commodore, although more so earlier examples.

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Rest assured there will be enough second hand early model Commodes for sale to keep the people with limited funds happy for years. Everyone else goes out and buys whatever floats their boat at that given moment. [smilebigeye]

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Originally Posted by bee utey

Then try parking it with a 6x4 attached in the space used by a loaded twin cab.

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The kind of stuff people typically put in a 6x4 such as a tip run or garden mulch or sand or soil is not the kind of stuff people tend to put in the back of their shiny dual cabs anyway. One trip and the paint is all scratched, and you cant shovel it all out because of the ripples in the bottom of the tray. A 6x4 does the job much better, and how often do you need to combine that with a shopping run or anything else requiring parking in a small space? Not much.