I'm refusing to buy an aussie built car till Ford/Holden/Mitsubishi lift their game.

Unpatriotic? Maybe

I don't want my transmission roll over noise, rough idle, squeaks and creaks, constant breaking seats, increasingly hard shift, blue smoke (since turbo replacement), back firing, fuel smell, etc.. to be considered within NORMAL spec by multiple dealers.

I don't want to have my car off the road for two weeks to get a replacement turbo, and I don't want to have to pay for a courtesy car when the car is in for warranty repairs.

And then there is the resale value, $30k lost in 2 years...

Before people get on the bang for your buck bandwagon, I'll gladly pay extra for something that resembles service.

If there was a Ford Premium brand (I.e. what Lexus is to Toyota), and the service was there I would buy one in an instant.

I'm in the game for a new car now, so I'm considering ALL options.

I walk into a Lexus, Audi, BMW, even VW and Subaru dealerships and I'm greeted with a coffee, a friendly salesperson who actually knows the product. An offer for a test drive alone, and again an offer to take the car for an entire week.

In fact I was the first member of the public to test drive both the new Liberty GT, and 3.0L the day before they were launched.

I walk into a Ford/Expensive Daewoo dealership and it takes over 10 minutes for someone to even register that I am standing there, and some disgruntled salesman who knows f*ck all about the car won't even give me a test drive till I sign over my first born son. Then once I do, he comes with me and tells me to drive around the 50km/h zoned block... WTF?

I haven't yet made up my mind on what car I will get, but I'll guarantee you that it won't be aussie built.

I've done my bit for the aussie car industry by purchasing 2 x 50k cars from Ford.

Sorry to hear that mate, wish Ford would read this and sort it out. Wish you best of luck with your next purchase.

Scotty

I'm refusing to buy an aussie built car till Ford/Holden/Mitsubishi lift their game.

Unpatriotic? Maybe

I don't want my transmission roll over noise, rough idle, squeaks and creaks, constant breaking seats, increasingly hard shift, blue smoke (since turbo replacement), back firing, fuel smell, etc.. to be considered within NORMAL spec by multiple dealers.

I don't want to have my car off the road for two weeks to get a replacement turbo, and I don't want to have to pay for a courtesy car when the car is in for warranty repairs.

And then there is the resale value, $30k lost in 2 years...

Before people get on the bang for your buck bandwagon, I'll gladly pay extra for something that resembles service.

If there was a Ford Premium brand (I.e. what Lexus is to Toyota), and the service was there I would buy one in an instant.

I'm in the game for a new car now, so I'm considering ALL options.

I walk into a Lexus, Audi, BMW, even VW and Subaru dealerships and I'm greeted with a coffee, a friendly salesperson who actually knows the product. An offer for a test drive alone, and again an offer to take the car for an entire week.

In fact I was the first member of the public to test drive both the new Liberty GT, and 3.0L the day before they were launched.

I walk into a Ford/Expensive Daewoo dealership and it takes over 10 minutes for someone to even register that I am standing there, and some disgruntled salesman who knows f*ck all about the car won't even give me a test drive till I sign over my first born son. Then once I do, he comes with me and tells me to drive around the 50km/h zoned block... WTF?

I haven't yet made up my mind on what car I will get, but I'll guarantee you that it won't be aussie built.

I've done my bit for the aussie car industry by purchasing 2 x 50k cars from Ford.

←

Hello....

My story exactly.

Now happily driving an EVO, 5000K's and not a problem, in for service? They give me a free curtesy car AND wash the EVO, inside and out. Unlike ford, "wadaya want?" "Yer mate get da GT, nuffin's faster."

Dipsh1ts.....

I'm refusing to buy an aussie built car till Ford/Holden/Mitsubishi lift their game.

Unpatriotic? Maybe

I don't want my transmission roll over noise, rough idle, squeaks and creaks, constant breaking seats, increasingly hard shift, blue smoke (since turbo replacement), back firing, fuel smell, etc.. to be considered within NORMAL spec by multiple dealers.

I don't want to have my car off the road for two weeks to get a replacement turbo, and I don't want to have to pay for a courtesy car when the car is in for warranty repairs.

And then there is the resale value, $30k lost in 2 years...

Before people get on the bang for your buck bandwagon, I'll gladly pay extra for something that resembles service.

If there was a Ford Premium brand (I.e. what Lexus is to Toyota), and the service was there I would buy one in an instant.

I'm in the game for a new car now, so I'm considering ALL options.

I walk into a Lexus, Audi, BMW, even VW and Subaru dealerships and I'm greeted with a coffee, a friendly salesperson who actually knows the product. An offer for a test drive alone, and again an offer to take the car for an entire week.

In fact I was the first member of the public to test drive both the new Liberty GT, and 3.0L the day before they were launched.

I walk into a Ford/Expensive Daewoo dealership and it takes over 10 minutes for someone to even register that I am standing there, and some disgruntled salesman who knows f*ck all about the car won't even give me a test drive till I sign over my first born son. Then once I do, he comes with me and tells me to drive around the 50km/h zoned block... WTF?

I haven't yet made up my mind on what car I will get, but I'll guarantee you that it won't be aussie built.

I've done my bit for the aussie car industry by purchasing 2 x 50k cars from Ford.

←

So you're the other VW owner-to-be?

Sorry to hear Ivy, yet totally understandable.

PS: Whatever you do don't get an EVO, you'll be an instant wa*ker then.

Edited September 17, 200620 yr by tab

I'm refusing to buy an aussie built car till Ford/Holden/Mitsubishi lift their game.

Unpatriotic? Maybe

I don't want my transmission roll over noise, rough idle, squeaks and creaks, constant breaking seats, increasingly hard shift, blue smoke (since turbo replacement), back firing, fuel smell, etc.. to be considered within NORMAL spec by multiple dealers.

I don't want to have my car off the road for two weeks to get a replacement turbo, and I don't want to have to pay for a courtesy car when the car is in for warranty repairs.

And then there is the resale value, $30k lost in 2 years...

Before people get on the bang for your buck bandwagon, I'll gladly pay extra for something that resembles service.

If there was a Ford Premium brand (I.e. what Lexus is to Toyota), and the service was there I would buy one in an instant.

I'm in the game for a new car now, so I'm considering ALL options.

I walk into a Lexus, Audi, BMW, even VW and Subaru dealerships and I'm greeted with a coffee, a friendly salesperson who actually knows the product. An offer for a test drive alone, and again an offer to take the car for an entire week.

In fact I was the first member of the public to test drive both the new Liberty GT, and 3.0L the day before they were launched.

I walk into a Ford/Expensive Daewoo dealership and it takes over 10 minutes for someone to even register that I am standing there, and some disgruntled salesman who knows f*ck all about the car won't even give me a test drive till I sign over my first born son. Then once I do, he comes with me and tells me to drive around the 50km/h zoned block... WTF?

I haven't yet made up my mind on what car I will get, but I'll guarantee you that it won't be aussie built.

I've done my bit for the aussie car industry by purchasing 2 x 50k cars from Ford.

←

Iam with u mate. They never offer u a drive. I put a deposit on my F6 & I still had to ask for a drive.Next time iam looking for a new car ill try a diffrent brand. as for mitsabishi 380 its got nothing going for it.it sux CHEERS BB

I am not after any sympathy, this XRT has been absolutely sensational compared to the last one I had.

Most of the mechanical things that have gone wrong are attributed to my driving style, however as the car is covered under warranty, and as I get the car service by Ford dealerships every 7500kms I expect any problems to be rectified as quickly as humanly possible.

For instance, when my turbo carked it I was given the run around by Dale Ford and Ford Australia, it took them 1 weeks to figure out it would be covered under warranty, then half a week to ship the part, and 2.5 days to fit the bloody thing.

I guess 2.5 days wasn't enough time to do a proper job as they left a bolt off at the cat, centre muffler and manifold causing massive exhaust leaks.

So for two weeks I had no car, no hire car available and even if there was it would cost me $55 a day. The tow cost me $20 cause I went above the 20km limit.

Compare that to an experience a mate had with VW.

Gearbox failure, tow into preferred dealer for free 200km's away.

Parts not in country, will take 3 weeks. Unfortunately we don't have a courtesy car available, but please take the dealer principals V10 Toureg free of charge.

Got the car back when promised without a problem fully detailed at that.

Now I know which service I'd rather have.

And I haven't even started talking about the premium brands such as Audi, Lexus, BMW...

Mate I can understand your frustration, but the grass is not always greener, VW here in Brissy, stuffed around my next door neighbour something awful, all the while, thwey were telling him how they wanted ten out of ten for customer service. Wondered why he sent VW Austaralia a letter of complaint.

Scotty

My 2 cents:

More people are wanting smaller cars - and whilst Ford Aus have great offerings like the Focus, they are produced abroad. As the Aus market cannot justify producing its own local small car, the lookout for Aus (R&D, and especially production) is poor, unless there opportunity to collaborate on global projects exists (Does it?).

The large performance sedans appeal to a shrinking market (us lot!), and is likely to have to up the price to cover the shrinking sales volume. If they can up the quality at the same time FPV may continue as a successful niche producer - but they will have to head towards BMW/Porsche territory, which could be interesting!

Look, a lot of strange ppl come up to me in the street. They're all asking about when Ford is gonna bring back blueprint. I agree with them and reckon Ford should pump it up!

This will bring back even more punters 2nd time 'round for Orion. 260kW, edit, pump it up to 350kW and leave the red pussy gatos (Holden) dribbling in our wakes...

[heavy metal] Motorhead - Love Me Like A Reptile /[heavy metal]

Solve all your woes.