Why Ford can't sell Falcon?

[Smoke Pursuit]

I've had some clients looking for new cars in the last few weeks.

1) G6E Ecoboost. No one in QLD has a new G6E Ecoboost in stock. Would have to order one to be built.

2) GT manual, neither of our local big FPV dealers have a manual GT in stock. Only Autos. Client told seeya next year if you want one.

3) Falcon base model tray backs... We have none of those either, only XR6's.

For a company that is struggling to make sales it really makes you wonder, what are Ford doing?????

[P6LTD351]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

I've had some clients looking for new cars in the last few weeks.

1) G6E Ecoboost. No one in QLD has a new G6E Ecoboost in stock. Would have to order one to be built.

2) GT manual, neither of our local big FPV dealers have a manual GT in stock. Only Autos. Client told seeya next year if you want one.

3) Falcon base model tray backs... We have none of those either, only XR6's.

For a company that is struggling to make sales it really makes you wonder, what are Ford doing?????

What are they doing? Made to order is what they are doing.

[Nikked]

Not this thread...again.

[Falcman0o7]

lock down!

[XR Martin]

Checking Carsales...

There is one demo G6E Ecoboost in QLD
Two GT Manuals
Seven Base model Utes (all tubs though)

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Checking Carsales...

There is one demo G6E Ecoboost in QLD
Two GT Manuals
Seven Base model Utes (all tubs though)

Cab chassis is the volume seller in base

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Checking Carsales...

There is one demo G6E Ecoboost in QLD
Two GT Manuals
Seven Base model Utes (all tubs though)

Wow..... Huge for 1 state.

It's a serious question... How can you sell cars if you don't stock them?

[Nikked]

Ford have been building cars too order for at least a year now...so, instead of having cars sitting around in holding yards and showrooms, (only to be sold at massively discounted rates to clear them out) the cars are produced when they are needed.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Ford have been building cars too order for at least a year now...so, instead of having cars sitting around in holding yards and showrooms, (only to be sold at massively discounted rates to clear them out) the cars are produced when they are needed.

Well in these 3 cases they miss out...

[SteveJH]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Ford have been building cars too order for at least a year now...so, instead of having cars sitting around in holding yards and showrooms, (only to be sold at massively discounted rates to clear them out) the cars are produced when they are needed.

They should still keep a small number in stock in the popular specifications and options.

[FPV GTHO]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Ford have been building cars too order for at least a year now...so, instead of having cars sitting around in holding yards and showrooms, (only to be sold at massively discounted rates to clear them out) the cars are produced when they are needed.

In most cases I'd bet its still dealer orders though. Which begs the question then, what are the dealers ordering for stock?

[Shonky.]

More often than not I browse yards after hours and only engage a dealer once I have found my preferred configuration car.

I don't think I'm alone when I say the car I want in stock, ready to go, would be a huge factor in tipping me into the sale.

Keeping stock is expensive, but at least you can measure the cost.

The cost of not having stock (in lost sales) is impossible to measure.........

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by shonkymofo

I don't think I'm alone when I say the car I want in stock, ready to go, would be a huge factor in tipping me into the sale.

Agreed. When I'm in buy mode I want what I want, yesterday. I waited 2 months for my R32 and only waited that long because the car I wanted was already on the ship being transported. Would never do it again.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by shonkymofo

More often than not I browse yards after hours and only engage a dealer once I have found my preferred configuration car.

I don't think I'm alone when I say the car I want in stock, ready to go, would be a huge factor in tipping me into the sale.

Keeping stock is expensive, but at least you can measure the cost.

The cost of not having stock (in lost sales) is impossible to measure.........

Are you prepared to pay RRP to have it available then and there or do you still want to be able to screw every last cent out of them?

Car dealers are in business to make money not sell cars and losing a sale that would not have made a profit is a GOOD thing.

The only car I have bought off floor stock in the last 10 years was my first F6 which I only owned for a few weeks before dumping because I made a mistake buying a povvo.

Every car I buy has all the factory options etc that I WANT not a compromise to save a couple of dollars.

[Shonky.]

Originally Posted by flappist

Are you prepared to pay RRP to have it available then and there or do you still want to be able to screw every last cent out of them?

Car dealers are in business to make money not sell cars and losing a sale that would not have made a profit is a GOOD thing.

The only car I have bought off floor stock in the last 10 years was my first F6 which I only owned for a few weeks before dumping because I made a mistake buying a povvo.

Every car I buy has all the factory options etc that I WANT not a compromise to save a couple of dollars.

From what I understand one is more likely to pay RRP for a vehicle that is not there and has to be ordered, rather than the reciprocal (pay a premium for a car to be in stock) Naturally this is why yards don't hold too much stock now. I guess that was my point. The savings associated with JIT is measureable, the cost is not.

And like you I will not compromise an inch when it comes to spec/configuration. Once again, hence my point if you combine being fussy and impatient (me) then no stock = no sale

[flappist]

Originally Posted by shonkymofo

From what I understand one is more likely to pay RRP for a vehicle that is not there and has to be ordered, rather than the reciprocal (pay a premium for a car to be in stock) Naturally this is why yards don't hold too much stock now. I guess that was my point. The savings associated with JIT is measureable, the cost is not.

And like you I will not compromise an inch when it comes to spec/configuration. Once again, hence my point if you combine being fussy and impatient (me) then no stock = no sale

Exactly.

In the bubble car market most models have no options other than colour so when you drive past the yards look like a packet of lollies. 4 bubbles equal one GT in cost so it is easy to have one of each of 8 colours for the price of 2 GTs

Now lets see what we need to have a GT "collection"

Well there are 10 colours.
Stripes or no stripes. (2 options)
auto or manual (2 options)
4 or 6 spot brakes (2 options)
Leather or cloth (2 options)
Satnav or not (2 options)

So 10x2x2x2x2x2 is 320 cars in stock.

Oh you want to be able to choose a GT-P, GT-E, GS, GS Ute, F6, F6-E, F6 Ute or GT-RSpec as well?

The most common FPV sold by far is an auto GT with stripes which is why that is the most common config you will find in the showrooms.

I would be prepared to bet beer that "auto GT with stripes" makes up more than 66% of GT sales and more than 50% of FPV sales.

In the same way when I bought my ute I wanted a blue XRT manual with leather. There were none anywhere and mine was the first manual FG2 anything that the dealer had been even asked about.

I could have had any number of autos with or without the luxury pack as they were the big sellers so thats what everyone stocked.

I chose to wait 6 weeks and get what I wanted rather than compromise and regret later. I did that with my first F6 and ditched it after only a few weeks as it was just not what I expected after my GT-P.

The dealers are running a business not a car show........

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by flappist

The dealers are running a business not a car show........

This.
People forget that floor stock is expensive and of course, dealers are going to cater for most popular models...
maybe one unique/ nice looking higher series for "gotta have right now" walk in buyers, but covering the field?
Forget about it, that's a sure way to get stuck with odd bods that most buyers don't want.......

[Bossxr8]

Been bought up at work many times by the union, dealers are continuing to question why they can't get the stock they need. Ford can't provide answers. Are they deliberately trying to kill Falcon off or what?

[TC200six]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Been bought up at work many times by the union, dealers are continuing to question why they can't get the stock they need. Ford can't provide answers. Are they deliberately trying to kill Falcon off or what?

Could be why in their new series of ads, none are for the Falcon?

[RASER]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Been bought up at work many times by the union, dealers are continuing to question why they can't get the stock they need. Ford can't provide answers. Are they deliberately trying to kill Falcon off or what?

Yeap, u nailed it

FOMOCO have informed to FoA in a very subtle way, to continue to kill off all the Falcon models as they have been doing, LTD, Fairlane[not farm] std. V8's etc

They have also been advised to grab EVERY tax-grab/fund/grant/hand-out that they can get off tripping-over Gillard govco.

Don't know why they dont stand up like men [as Mitsubishi did] to kill it off NOW instead of playing games and waiting for nature to takes its course in 24 months time.

Bring in the F150's and other premium quality/value vehicles

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by RASER

Yeap, u nailed it

FOMOCO have informed to FoA in a very subtle way, to continue to kill off all the Falcon models as they have been doing, LTD, Fairlane[not farm] std. V8's etc

They have also been advised to grab EVERY tax-grab/fund/grant/hand-out that they can get off tripping-over Gillard govco.

Don't know why they dont stand up like men [as Mitsubishi did] to kill it off NOW instead of playing games and waiting for nature to takes its course in 24 months time.

Bring in the F150's and other premium quality/value vehicles

See ya

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Been bought up at work many times by the union, dealers are continuing to question why they can't get the stock they need. Ford can't provide answers. Are they deliberately trying to kill Falcon off or what?

There has to be more in it then this.
Do the dealers want the model and not have to wait the 6 week build period cause a customer wants one now?
Or are they putting stock orders in the system and getting knocked back because Ford doesn't want to build them?

I remember when the Factory had a lot of cars stored out the back (they found one there that was over a year old) that were ready to go. Maybe the dealers are still in the old frame of mind were they could get something quickly and not have to pay the overheads that they would if they had to gamble on a model.

Either way Ford do need to look at a state system were they can have a model ready to go (in low numbers) were it keeps Ford's inventory low and the dealers overheads down.

Mind you I thought dealers could work with other dealers around oz to bring in models for the customer if they wanted.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by vztrt

There has to be more in it then this.
Do the dealers want the model and not have to wait the 6 week build period cause a customer wants one now?
Or are they putting stock orders in the system and getting knocked back because Ford doesn't want to build them?

I remember when the Factory had a lot of cars stored out the back (they found one there that was over a year old) that were ready to go. Maybe the dealers are still in the old frame of mind were they could get something quickly and not have to pay the overheads that they would if they had to gamble on a model.

Either way Ford do need to look at a state system were they can have a model ready to go (in low numbers) were it keeps Ford's inventory low and the dealers overheads down.

Mind you I thought dealers could work with other dealers around oz to bring in models for the customer if they wanted.

Problem is most dealers will only swap cars... based on colour etc. E.g. if I want a black G6E and my dealers only got a white one they can swap the white for the black up the road (if the other dealer accepts). Sometimes they will sell to each other but its usually as Ive suggested above (swap).

[flappist]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

Problem is most dealers will only swap cars... based on colour etc. E.g. if I want a black G6E and my dealers only got a white one they can swap the white for the black up the road (if the other dealer accepts). Sometimes they will sell to each other but its usually as Ive suggested above (swap).

Must be different in Bris, up here the "drink" is alive and well.

[Smoke Pursuit]

I think you're on the money Bossxr8.

[Shonky.]

hope not............hunts!

[Sprint]

They never have manuals in adelaide for demo's.

[mik]

i`m not very good with waiting, if i was in the market and they said a month possibly 2 months , i would be saying seeya later, they would lose the sale, how many others are like that i wonder.

[DanielXR8]

I think Ford do loose sales, but I also think they look at how much it costs to make stock that no one wants for months and is then sold at heavily subsidised prices. For the one customer looking to buy now, there was undoubtedly many times that number of cars sitting around collecting dust with no buyers. The tradeoff is to loose the one customer in order to cut the inventory of cars, by lowering production.

Truth is Falcon is getting unviable and its clear Ford have decided that they will be controlling costs on Falcon very tightly, so its all about minimising costs for what life it has left and hope the 2014 model that already has money spent on it, peps up sales a bit before the end run. Ford must have been stung pretty badly by the Ecoboost flop and LPG sales never recovering. Add Prodrive throwing in the towel because they couldn't make a business case for performance Falcons and you can see why Ford management aren't in any hurry to ramp up production again.

Besides Ford dealers aren't exactly rolling in cash either, so I would imagine they are only looking to order what they know they have a good chance or turning into a fairly quick sale - on that criteria Falcon wouldn't be high on their list.

For those who say Ford management are deliberately stuffing up the product mix in the Falcon range, to cause a decline in sales, I might have been inclined to agree as that would be one way to get the Falcon to the point that it makes it possible to get out of government agreements Ford entered into for funding without penalty and wind things up. Problem is Ford spend 20mill buying Prodrive out. Sure it was a bargain and far less than that operation probably owed Prodrive, but if your trying to kill Falcon outright why would you bother with FPV? Wouldn't you want that to fall over too?

If the product mix is wrong at the factory I would say its more likely the poor management skills that Ford Australia always seems to have. With exceptions like Geoff Polites and a couple of others, Ford hasn't been a beacon of good management or corporate culture.

FG is a good car and the best Falcon, its just reaching its use by date. Many reasons and not as simplistic as lack of a good tv commercial either. Its quite sad.

[falconnut]

Hate to say it but compared to cheaper, smaller and frankly lighter competitive alternatives the falcon just cant keep up.

The Ecoboost was a great idea implemented poorly (not trimming the nose down ect.)

Ford Global obviously want to kill the Falcon to sell their new fusion platform here and possibly the mustang as well.

I am not against global platforms but in this case their not even giving the falcon a fighting chance anymore.

Then theres the big issue of the falcon 6's terrible fuel efficently in the city and HUGE kurb side weight which is almost 2 tonne.

in a day and age of ev's and hybrids even the falcon is on the heavy side.

FG will probably be the last falcon though, such a shame we never got a newer model code