Will the Holden brand survive?

[Bossxr8]

Dealers would be absolutely seething at Holden management.

[Junkyard-Dog]

I actually saw a new ZB Commodore on the weekend. It had two adults in the front and two or three kids in the back.

The car actually looked alright tbh.

[Sprint XR8]

Holden dumped in Doncaster

DONCASTER Holden, in Melbourne’s affluent east, has handed back its Holden franchise and is quitting its Doncaster site in a deal with nearby Penfold Motors which is owned by the Johnstone family.

Doncaster principal and CD Motor Group managing director Cameron Doidge told GoAutoNews Premium that the exit from Holden, effective July 1 this year, was triggered by many “underlying issues”.

“It was caused by issues including the size of the site and the market share of Holden that combined, didn’t help the business model,” he said.

“It means we are out of Holden sales and we won’t continue with service and parts either.”

Mr Doidge said Penfold would take over the lease of the Holden site at 825 Doncaster Road and make it a Volkswagen dealership. He said about 90 per cent of staff will retain their jobs.

https://premium.goauto.com.au/holden...-in-doncaster/

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by Sprint XR8

https://premium.goauto.com.au/holden...-in-doncaster/

This is not good at all. While I admit to being a Fordie, I also admit to being sadened by the likely loss of our historical number one competitor.

[leakey]

Drove past the Holden dealer at Chullora the other day.

They have had to adorn the 'new' Commodore with massive vinyl lettering stating "NEW Commodore" and flags around it with the same.

It just blends in with everything else in the yard.

Even as a Ford nut, I used to be so excited about the release of a new Commy, or Falcon and even Camry/Aurion.

I dont think they (govt and car makers) realise the massive gulf they have created by allowing production to end here. So much part of our culture.

I feel lost, really, when it comes to cars atm.

I guess there's only one thing for it. I'll make my own.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by leakey

Even as a Ford nut, I used to be so excited about the release of a new Commy, or Falcon and even Camry/Aurion.

I dont think they (govt and car makers) realise the massive gulf they have created by allowing production to end here. So much part of our culture.

I feel lost, really, when it comes to cars atm.

I guess there's only one thing for it. I'll make my own.

Exactly! People couldn't understand why I was so passionate about Falcons. It is because of their cultural significance and what they represented to this nation. Driving them was like wearing a badge of honour as it was a clear indicator of which tribe i did NOT belong to.

[mr smith]

It doesn’t seem that long ago there was Holden dealer in every town..

[Trendseeker]

I saw a new Commodore on the road recently but it wasn’t far from the dealer and could have been on a test drive. The recent closure of that other dealers showroom might be the start of the end or maybe not. I know one or two that have closed over the years. Heartland Holden at Rockdale was one. It’s a shame the local manufacturing has gone; like others here, I was proud to own Australian made cars.

[GCRXR6]

Well, well. I had one in my driveway yesterday. A friend, who was working at a nearby gas field, dropped in on her way to the local airport for return to Brisbane. Not a nice looking car at all, but, that's only my opinion. She was impressed with the bells and whistles, it rode and handled well, but was let down by the lack of rearward vision. Yeah...still ugly.

[jpd80]

They must be running out of room to stick all those unsold Holdens.....

[roKWiz]

Probably seen quite a few of these but wouldn't have noticed if I had due to them just blending in amongst the rest of boring cars on the road these days.

[Syndrome]

Is there a media ban? The Holden stories have all but disappeared.

[bathurst77]

I do about 1000km a week, mostly in sydney through the suburbs including the more affluent ones and the cbd.
I see heaps of stingers and stangs. I have been keeping an eye out as i drive but i still havent seen a ZB
Seen a couple of ZB fairlanes tho

[Fordman1]

It’s funny how they run the ZB with a V8 in that stupid Supercars sillouette series.

[CyberWasp]

Poor Holden..... Trying to launch a vehicle like this when Petrol Prices are on the rise.... Good Luck.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Poor Holden..... Trying to launch a vehicle like this when Petrol Prices are on the rise.... Good Luck.

But but but its awesome and its going to be really good.

[Crazy Dazz]

What?

GM "Closed" brands in the USA, because producing their unique vehicles was uneconomical and led to sharing of components then eventually badge-swapping, and once buyers wized up it was a pointless expensive exercise.

They won't close Holden because there is no alternative brand.

Will they SELL Holden?
Maybe, I don't see our ****ant market being a huge focus.
However I think its more likely that it will continue on as a local Badge for GM's Korean or Chinese operations.

Eventually you'd figure Commode production will move there, once they have convinced buyers its a "quality German product". China and Korea already build "Opels" and "Buicks", so it would make sense to keep sourcing their RHD cars from there.

"Holden" has the advantage that they've been re-badging trash for years. For Ford to move from selling Local, European, and Japanese, to Thai, was a marketing challenge.

I'm just waiting for all the burnout comps featuring FWD Commodes.

[csv8]

No diesel ? then neither does Kluger.. Diesel should be in it.

[mr smith]

That Arcadia has to be one of the ugliest new cars on the market. Mike Simcoe who did some great work with Holden is not really hitting the mark with the GM range..everything they do looks tacky.

[Sprint XR8]

Muirs Holden closes in Sydney

GM HOLDEN has confirmed that one of its first and longest-serving dealerships has closed without replacement, after Muirs Holden in Sydney’s inner-west last month ceased its 72 years of trading on the same premises.

https://premium.goauto.com.au/muirs-...ses-in-sydney/

[eb2fairmont]

oh wow I can see a zb

[b0son]

they're already planning to sell the ZB's replacement, the ZFG.. zero forks given...

[davenl5l]

A major Sadelaide dealer has just made most of its sales staff redundant just in time for the EOFY sales and the workshop is dead . Manager tells staff they are struggling makes you wonder if they will survive

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

A major Sadelaide dealer has just made most of its sales staff redundant just in time for the EOFY sales and the workshop is dead . Manager tells staff they are struggling makes you wonder if they will survive

Yep,we’re both talking about the same dealer, since buying the barina, our branch has been closed down, 3 sales staff are gone, 1 moved to another branch, only doing servicing there now. My contact was the one who stayed, this is the first time ever this group has retrenched staff.

Just to highlight how on the nose the Holden brand is to non car people, my ex is looking to replace her 10yo Honda with something smaller, thru my Holden guy above, I can get an Astra fully loaded for $7k off RRP, on suggesting this she laughed and flatly refused to get anything with a Holden badge after seeing how many times my work cars break. For her, it will be a Hyundai/Kia, seems the rest of the buying public feel the same.

[DFB FGXR6]

https://www.caradvice.com.au/662450/...year-warranty/

5 year / Unlimited km warranty for private buyers.
5 year / 200,000 km warranty for fleet/government/rental buyers.

Interesting to note that Ford's recent announcement of a 5 year warranty does not put a cap on km's for fleet/government/rental buyers.

[falcon_bandit]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

Just to highlight how on the nose the Holden brand is to non car people, my ex is looking to replace her 10yo Honda with something smaller, thru my Holden guy above, I can get an Astra fully loaded for $7k off RRP, on suggesting this she laughed and flatly refused to get anything with a Holden badge after seeing how many times my work cars break. For her, it will be a Hyundai/Kia, seems the rest of the buying public feel the same.

So holden is stuffed, because you bargained hard to save your "ex" $7000 on a car, and your "ex" laughed because she knows your work cars like the back of her hand. Makes sense.....

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by falcon_bandit

So holden is stuffed, because you bargained hard to save your "ex" $7000 on a car, and your "ex" laughed because she knows your work cars like the back of her hand. Makes sense.....

Uwotm8?

You have been reading about Holden’s plight, right? You don’t need to take my word for it.

And why does ex have the “”? I can write, former spouse,friend,mother of my child, but that gets tedious.

She did drive the Astra LTZ this weekend but ended up in another Honda, 7 yr warranty, 7 yr roadside, and they rolled out the red carpet for being a longtime client.

[au2000]

Originally Posted by falcon_bandit

So holden is stuffed, because you bargained hard to save your "ex" $7000 on a car, and your "ex" laughed because she knows your work cars like the back of her hand. Makes sense.....

Tbh I'd agree that Holden as a company is stuffed and trading on borrowed time, the signs are there as they were 5 years ago before ford n Holden announced their closures when they stopped marking falcons and commodores as falcons and commodores and badged them as xt, omega, xr6 and ss only.
That was a blatant public sign that both company's were looking to move away from their falcon and commodore branding in the lead up to those models demise.

Only difference now is that ford is a global company name which is on cars in each country which has landed firmly on mustang and ranger in Australia while Holden is a local branch of GM who are struggling to maintain traction.
Yes the Camaro and silverado are on their way but to further take away from the Holden name they will arrive with Chevy GM branding, not the Holden lion, for the average joe buyer who's not a car nut it will further confuse them having to goto a Holden dealer to buy a Chevy,

In my time of buying cars I've never heard of anyone walking into a dealer to buy a new released new car and getting 7 grand off especially given it's a sub 30 grand car unless it included a trade in.

I have no doubts that gradually you will see more n more Holden products be removed and a slow intro of now chev products until the time arrives that chev becomes the newer stronger nameplate.

[Burnout]

GM-H tossing dealers.......

[radler]

Maybe gmh will go back to the 70’s and ressurect the kingswood badge .... say a fully imported made in China kings wood with 3 on the column ...

Maybe that could spark some sense of nostalgic interest in the market ....