FORD Australia shutdown Announcement

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

A daunting day for Ford workers at Geelong and Broadmeadows plants with reports that Ford will cease manufacturing at these plants from 2016. Thoughts go out to anyone who is affected by this announcement.

http://www.news.com.au/business/ford...-1226648895882

[JPH Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close JPH]

Another blow to Geelong's manufacturing, not sure on the exact figures left out there but the writing's been on the wall for a while. I think it's around 400 mark, but it's the flow on effect of suppliers etc. between Ford, Shell refinery is for sale, Alcoa is on the verge... Our big industry is stuffed.. But on the flip side, Little Creatures have started their first brew at their new brewery in Geelong! Time for the town to reinvent itself!

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

It will be a big blow to the local economy in Geelong and obviously will have flow on effects with suppliers, etc. There will be whole families losing their jobs when the plant shuts down, I heard a figure of 1200 people mentioned on the radio this morning.

I'm afraid we are turning into a nation of consumers who make nothing.

Yes I drive a Japanese car, if Ford, Holden, or Mitsubishi made a 4WD as versatile as the Prado here in Oz I'd consider them.

[Guest Close Guest]

The high labour rates and AUD does not help Aussie manufacturers get enough volume for manufacture in order to sell to other countries.

[cardinal28 Member Find all posts View Profile Close cardinal28]

I dont know about Toyota, but I would not be a bit surprised if Holden follow suit.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Nissan first, then Mitsubishi, now Ford........... Is it only a matter of time until they all go?

I used to weld Mitsubishi's together in another lifetime, it was actually not a bad place to work. I think a few of the long term employees will find it hard to find a new career.

Cheers Andrew

[macaroon1 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close macaroon1]

I'm afraid Australia is going the same way as the UK where the vast majority of the car manufacturing went in the 70's and 80's. Just cannot compete with the labour costs of the Asian economies (and they built too many poor cars)!. Difference to the UK is we have vast amounts of minerals in the ground (so all good there)!!. I also think thou cars are better built than when I was a kid so they are lasting a lot longer, engines propelling me (& mum) @30 years ago simply don't exist anymore. Modern engines live in another world. It's a sign of the times, in the future we'll just have to get by, getting more out of life but living with less, (stuff and money)! It's something I'm very conscious of.

[kav Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close kav]

i watched a program the other day where it was explained that we the tax payers have been proping up holden to the tune of 12 BILLION dollars over the last 12 years and that each and every holden comodore that rolls off the line owes the australian taxpayers $2600 . also that if we didn't have a car industry being protected , that your new prado or any foreign vehicle for that matter would be a bucket load cheaper . it must be devastating to the workers at the plant to lose your job , especially with todays prospects but at some point we the taxpayers have to stop proping up multinational conglomerates who if they can't compete should realistically go the same way that any small business would go . our lifestyles are our downfall now , we all want a good lifestyle but how do we compete with someone who will work for a bowl of rice . i have a dozen mates who work at kurnell refinery , they are all on such a good wicket , its known as the gravy train , eventually caltex said enough is enough .

[GreenVX Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close GreenVX]

ABC radio about 1pm this afternoon, ''Both Toyota and Holden have re-affirmed their intentions to continue manufacturing cars in Australia''. Hopefully this state of affairs remains for a long time to come.
Sadly I think that may be difficult in times to come..

[Guest Close Guest]

Given the choice of cars on the market right now, what would make you buy a local car?

Looking at countries like Malaysia, the local Protons and Peroduas are abundant everywhere you go. People don't buy them because they are good (quite the opposite really) but because imported cars costs a bomb. Also, those 2 companies produces a wide range of models from the very small to large sedans. So at least there is a choice to stick with a local company rather than looking at imports to fill the gap.

Can our local manufacturers diversify their assembly line to follow the buying trends of the average Australian and would the government be brave enough to raise import tariffs?

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

I used to weld Mitsubishi's together in another lifetime, Cheers Andrew

AJ, I think I chased one of your cars on Monday, a Magna V6 wagon. It was stolen from Perth and went to Esperance because the thieves forgot to turn left onto the Eyre Hwy. It came back through Norseman where it was chased to Kambalda before I picked it up near Coolgardie and followed him to Yellowdine where he drove into the bush. After 8km of bush bashing, launching over big rocks and driving up creek beds the Mitsy finally got bogged in a lake. They don't make 'em like they used to.

[Ozpat Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ozpat]

I'm afraid Australia is going the same way as the UK where the vast majority of the car manufacturing went in the 70's and 80's.

The British manufacturers were taken over by GM, Ford etc but they still assemble them there, difference being they make small cars, unlike here where they only make the big Commodores, Falcons etc and the large medium Cruise, Camry etc. Why aren't we making the smaller cars where the demand is higher?

I'm afraid we are turning into a nation of consumers who make nothing.

Yes it's true. You only have to drive around the big new industrial areas around Sydney as probable elsewhere, thousands of hectares of huge sheds that make nothing, just storage warehouses for Toll, Linfox, Woolies and the rest. I feel for our kids future.

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

Why aren't we making the smaller cars where the demand is higher?
.

Because we can't compete with the Koreans. We buy their cars and they buy our iron ore and wheat in exchange.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Given the choice of cars on the market right now, what would make you buy a local car?

I can think of 430 reasons, enough for me to have committed a deposit a long time ago on something that has only recently been seen. Never met a kilowatt I didn't like!

It is sad that it seems that the era of Australia making cars will come to an end. The loss of Ford will make the parts suppliers less competitive unless they go overseas as well so that will put more pressure on Holden and maybe to a less a degree Toyota (I guess they already import big chunks). I won’t bother to go into the reasons and wherefores because there are plenty and plenty of opinion on that too.

For good or bad I have supported the locals for my daily driver for almost as long as I have been working. Maybe a dumb thing to do but at times I travel less well formed roads for work and the locals do ok. Five of the bunch have been either FPVs or HSVs (don’t have a brand preference just bang for buck) and they have been quite good. My only real complaints were with the Ford product and most of that dealer focussed.

Some years ago I was doing some work which involved a group of the FPV guys and they knew then that unless they reinvent themselves it was only a matter of time until the doors close. Looks like Ford globally didn’t let them. Holden at least made the Commodore and its variants in LHD so they can export something for a little while.

My current car is 4 years old and ready for kindergarten and I am wanting to replace it so I have held out until the new HSV is released. Still don’t know what to do to be honest, our industry is being squeezed so tough times ahead. What I can say is that last year I looked at an M3 and a C63 and while both are superb they both disappointed. The suspension couldn’t cope with the roads and banged and crashed enough to make you cringe and wonder what was going to fall off given enough time and I was left a little underwhelmed. When I was single I had an Alpina BMW 3 series and loved it. Drove it over the same sort of roads and regularly had to fix things like holed sumps or broken suspension parts. I am over that now.

If I am perfectly honest the D4D is cheaper to run, service and own than the R8 and probably most of the Commodore or Falcon range but they are two different animals for two very different duties. However not everyone can have the luxury of two dedicated beasts and if it came down to a decision to have one only I know the R8 would be looking for a new home. But that is not the case at the moment and as for getting another 4wd for those duties I couldn’t bring myself to drive in traffic every day in a 4wd. I like a bit of a squirt now and again where road rules don’t apply so I would still have to have at least a track car or some sort of toy.

The government can do more, for example change the FBT rules for locally manufactured cars to get business buying again, ah but that isn't green enough anymore is it?

Without the locals the market may open up and we get some better pricing on imports but even so I will be sad when they close all the doors.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

AJ, I think I chased one of your cars on Monday, a Magna V6 wagon. It was stolen from Perth and went to Esperance because the thieves forgot to turn left onto the Eyre Hwy. It came back through Norseman where it was chased to Kambalda before I picked it up near Coolgardie and followed him to Yellowdine where he drove into the bush. After 8km of bush bashing, launching over big rocks and driving up creek beds the Mitsy finally got bogged in a lake. They don't make 'em like they used to.

Could have been one of mine, I worked mostly on the wagons, TP's which was the last of the wedge shape and then the TR the first of the rounded model. I actually spent a lot of time working in pre production design and testing for the TR and then the American and European versions.

They were still a piece of crap despite the awesome welding on the rear chassis

Cheers Andrew