what are you currently watching?

Ben Collins driving a manual converted E46 M3 CSL, THE best BMW M car of all time.......................

 
i can only imagine how fast this will go.. 670 hp! :eek:
 
I saw that Ford is bringing out a new Capri, and I so wanted it to be good, but it's not. The second video talks a bit about how Ford Europe has a similar problem to Ford Australia, not that they mention Australia, but it's their commercial division that's profitable, with the Transit, and they can't seem to make cars that anyone wants.



https://youtu.be/RPSGqI3F-kw?si=seuKiktnjKCcYF0f

https://youtu.be/mSxAQRWQIeM?si=4uuqRa8vM3aUeNFq



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Big Dave said:
I saw that Ford is bringing out a new Capri, and I so wanted it to be good, but it's not. The second video talks a bit about how Ford Europe has a similar problem to Ford Australia, not that they mention Australia, but it's their commercial division that's profitable, with the Transit, and they can't seem to make cars that anyone wants.



https://youtu.be/RPSGqI3F-kw?si=seuKiktnjKCcYF0f

https://youtu.be/mSxAQRWQIeM?si=4uuqRa8vM3aUeNFq



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See, I think Ford do make cars people want, they just aren't available in the "right" places.

The Maverick, Bronco and Bronco Sport would have been extremely popular outside of the USA, but as usual, Ford refused to think beyond the US market. All three of those would have done well in Australia, tapping into rich history (Bronco) and basically creating a new segment (Maverick). The smaller footprint of the Bronco Sport and Maverick would have been perfectly suited to the European and UK markets. Explorer would have also done well in Australia. But as I said, Ford and all of the US brands have massive issues with thinking globally...................... despite what they tell the media and investors.

It's hard being a "Ford man" sometimes, I just don't understand their way of thinking.
 
DFB said:
See, I think Ford do make cars people want, they just aren't available in the "right" places.

The Maverick, Bronco and Bronco Sport would have been extremely popular outside of the USA, but as usual, Ford refused to think beyond the US market. All three of those would have done well in Australia, tapping into rich history (Bronco) and basically creating a new segment (Maverick). The smaller footprint of the Bronco Sport and Maverick would have been perfectly suited to the European and UK markets. Explorer would have also done well in Australia. But as I said, Ford and all of the US brands have massive issues with thinking globally...................... despite what they tell the media and investors.

It's hard being a "Ford man" sometimes, I just don't understand their way of thinking.
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I think you're right on the mark with those 3 vehicles, they would have been popular here, and you can call me pedantic, but none of them are cars. You've got a 4x4, an SUV, and a light duty ute, which Toyota looks to be copying with a new Stout.

The Capri, and the Mustang Mach Efor that matter, should have been 2 door sports cars, and maybe EV and Hybrid, with what they actually are, they should have been called something different.

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Summer Mecum Auction @ Kissimmee. Just watched an all original, documented, pristine '74 Corvette with a 454/4 spd (last yr for big block) with only 4K miles on it go for . . . $29,500. LOL. IMO that's a colossal waste averaging only ~80 miles/yr! Just running back of the matchbook numbers, conservatively, using the base '74 coupe MSRP and rounding THAT down to $6K and rounding down the inflation adjustment to 6:1 for 2024 dollar value that's a purchase price of $36K before tax/registration/etc. Maintenance/storage/insurance and whatever else in those 50 years wasn't free so value-wise this thing is so far upside down - and the car and its owner were both deprived of the joy of actually driving it. SMH.

The big block '71 El Camino SS that crossed the block a few cars later, that had been actually driven but was still super clean, hammered for $48K. I'd love one of those but without the vinyl top this one had, I personally just can't stand them.
 
Big Dave said:
I think you're right on the mark with those 3 vehicles, they would have been popular here, and you can call me pedantic, but none of them are cars. You've got a 4x4, an SUV, and a light duty ute, which Toyota looks to be copying with a new Stout.

The Capri, and the Mustang Mach Efor that matter, should have been 2 door sports cars, and maybe EV and Hybrid, with what they actually are, they should have been called something different.

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I think at this point where all "car" makers are focused on SUV's, most people would just associate the term "car" with just about anybody style.

Ford killed off all of their sedans/hatches to focus on SUV's, trucks and commercial vehicles, saying that's what buyers wanted. Granted, that mentality was largely the focus of the US market, but its spread across the rest of their empire. But then they decided to limit these new SUV's and trucks to the US market, completely blind to the fact that Bronco has internation recognition, Explorer being on RWD platform would have been a perfect Territory replacement, and that Maverick would easily have sold well in Australia and European markets. Defenders would say that those vehicles are not made in RHD. But come on, just about every other car company has no trouble making cars on BOTH RHD and LHD. I JUST DONT GET IT.

Now they tell us they want customers we need to buy small cars again. Which is it Ford? They had a great range of small cars but decided they were not worth pursuing from a financial standpoint. Then they killed off Australian manufacturing, pulled out of Japan and India.

Ford CEO Wants Americans to 'Get Back in Love' With the Small Cars Ford Gave Up On

I also hate Ford using the Carpri and Mustang name on vehicles that have absolutely no association with those models. I get what they are doing, using a recognizable nameplate to have market cut-through in the electric sector, but its a cringe worthy move. Mustang has such a specific audience and reputation, all they did was upset the faithful customers who supported the Mustang name going all the way back to the 1960's. Capri will be the same. I've always said, if they wanted to use a heritage nameplate, they should have used something like "Galaxy" as that has far less "baggage" or preconceived notions than Mustang or Carpri. Mustang Mach E would have been Galaxy Mach E, Capri would have been Galaxy Mach C and so on.

Anyway, what would I know, I'm just a lifelong Ford customer.
 
amazing how tolerant/chill some bodybuilders can be...
 
Big Dave said:
This is why Jeep's market share continues to drop in Australia, a lot of brands have reliability issues, but if the after sales service keeps failing, your reputation is gone.


https://youtu.be/-Ie_cQq4JOU?si=oJbyUWYqalv58FHU



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I happened to overhear a conversation between two guys while enjoying a coffee in a cafe just before the pandemic, so after Jeep sales had crashed. One of the guys was the dealer principle of the local Jeep/FAC/Stellantis dealership. While he praised the product itself, he was deeply scathing of how inept FCA was in providing aftersales support to dealers, and in turn, customers. Think no parts backup in the country, which therefore extends the wait times for vehicles to be repaired, often leaving the customer without the vehicle for months and months. So even the very best, most attentive dealership service department couldn't repair cars in a timely manner because FCA's lack of support.

The above was then exaggerated by FCA's insistence on volume at any cost approach. (Apparently FCA were simply sending cars to Australia and offloading them to dealers whether they wanted the stock or not. Actually, the dealer network ended up suing FCA for this). So, while that meant great sales numbers, when things went wrong or needed warranty repair, the dealership service network couldn't keep up. The volume of FCA/Jeep/RAM dealers in Australia is relatively small, so while the sales side could easily send them out of the dealership, the service department simply didn't have that volume ability.

The flow on to all that ends up being 1000's and 1000's of customers being burned by a lack of service and slow warranty repairs...........................so they went elsewhere. What's that saying? "You reap what you sow"...................
 
DFB said:
I happened to overhear a conversation between two guys while enjoying a coffee in a cafe just before the pandemic, so after Jeep sales had crashed. One of the guys was the dealer principle of the local Jeep/FAC/Stellantis dealership. While he praised the product itself, he was deeply scathing of how inept FCA was in providing aftersales support to dealers, and in turn, customers. Think no parts backup in the country, which therefore extends the wait times for vehicles to be repaired, often leaving the customer without the vehicle for months and months. So even the very best, most attentive dealership service department couldn't repair cars in a timely manner because FCA's lack of support.

The above was then exaggerated by FCA's insistence on volume at any cost approach. (Apparently FCA were simply sending cars to Australia and offloading them to dealers whether they wanted the stock or not. Actually, the dealer network ended up suing FCA for this). So, while that meant great sales numbers, when things went wrong or needed warranty repair, the dealership service network couldn't keep up. The volume of FCA/Jeep/RAM dealers in Australia is relatively small, so while the sales side could easily send them out of the dealership, the service department simply didn't have that volume ability.

The flow on to all that ends up being 1000's and 1000's of customers being burned by a lack of service and slow warranty repairs...........................so they went elsewhere. What's that saying? "You reap what you sow"...................
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There's been a couple of cases now where Grand Cherokee owners have been hit with repair bills up around $40k, for vehicles that aren't even worth that anymore.

In this case the couple were from Qld, they had a Compass Trailhawk, and it's crapped itself a few times, including up in the Victorian high country while on holiday, and they just can't fix it, so they want their money back, and it looks like they're going to get it.

We really need to get proper lemon laws here, a while back Jeep said they understood they had let their customers down, and they were going to fix it, I guess not.

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Watching the Olympics

fe27e37ba30ad9c39be68d9ab40b2944.jpg


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