Final Commodore Friday October 20, 2017.

[BAitch]

An extract from Harry's link above says it all:
"This callous decision by GM to reduce or cease operations in American plants, while opening or increasing production in Mexico and China plants for sales to American consumers, is, in its implementation, profoundly damaging to our American workforce," said Terry Dittes, UAW vice president. Not sure what Trump's response will be, but the industrialisation of China at the expense of other countries will and has affected workers elsewhere apart from the US.
With the closure of auto manufacturing in this country, the reduction of tariffs making imports cheaper, but not necessarily cheaper to operate, the loss of other industries to an off-shore destination, I am sort of glad I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and that I lived through a great period of Australia's modern history. There are those who prefer an import to a local-made car and cannot see the need to worry with the direction Australia is going, but one can only hope and pray that the forces of ill-intent do not blockade this country that is now so dependent on imports for its survival on day-to-day living.

Back to better things - my fabulous SV6!! I would like to shake the hands of everyone at Holden, who clocked on 21 March 2017! Actually, the story on how, or really for that matter, why I bought this car, makes for interesting reading, at least for me when at 73 years young, I should have put the money towards my continued retirement! But . . . . . I am damned glad I did!!

To start with, I would like to thank the fellow in the photograph below - my dear old Dad, who passed away in December 1972. This is he and his first brand-new car, our 1959 FC which he bought in August of that year.

More on Dad and the FC in later posts!

 

[426Cuda]

An extract from Harry's link above says it all:
"This callous decision by GM to reduce or cease operations in American plants, while opening or increasing production in Mexico and China plants for sales to American consumers, is, in its implementation, profoundly damaging to our American workforce," said Terry Dittes, UAW vice president. Not sure what Trump's response will be, but the industrialisation of China at the expense of other countries will and has affected workers elsewhere apart from the US.
With the closure of auto manufacturing in this country, the reduction of tariffs making imports cheaper, but not necessarily cheaper to operate, the loss of other industries to an off-shore destination, I am sort of glad I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and that I lived through a great period of Australia's modern history. There are those who prefer an import to a local-made car and cannot see the need to worry with the direction Australia is going, but one can only hope and pray that the forces of ill-intent do not blockade this country that is now so dependent on imports for its survival on day-to-day living.

Back to better things - my fabulous SV6!! I would like to shake the hands of everyone at Holden, who clocked on 21 March 2017! Actually, the story on how, or really for that matter, why I bought this car, makes for interesting reading, at least for me when at 73 years young, I should have put the money towards my continued retirement! But . . . . . I am damned glad I did!!

To start with, I would like to thank the fellow in the photograph below - my dear old Dad, who passed away in December 1972. This is he and his first brand-new car, our 1959 FC which he bought in August of that year.

More on Dad and the FC in later posts!

View attachment 202382

It's hard not to be cynical hey. Governments, corporations, consumers and voters seem to be so focussed on immediate self interests, that the big picture gets lost in the minutia. I too have grave fears for the Australia my Granddaughter will grow up in. It's an aubergine eating hipster society and a 21 million bitcoin long blockchain won't hold this juggernaught back baby.
Loving the passion and nostalgia @BAitch and looking forward to the next instalment.

 

[VS 5.0]

Governments, corporations, consumers and voters seem to be so focussed on immediate self interests,

No "seem" about it.....they "are". Selfish bastards the lot of them.

 

[GMVPSS]

I have owned my VF for one year and one day! it was built in September of 2017 a couple of weeks before they closed in Adelaide and I picked it up on the 27th of November last year and have done just over 13,000km. 2,000 of those on Drag Challenge a couple of weeks ago where I wont the DYO bracket.

It has had Paint defects (dirt or other contamination in the paint) corrected under warranty and a dead BCM also replaced under warranty when the Fuel Pump and Controller stopped working one morning on my way to work in august of this year.

It has run a best of 11.590 over the quarter mile and I am taking it up to Ballarat Airport this weekend to race at a radial only meeting. it wont be the fastest there but I will be having fun!

Some pics on Drag Challenge.

 

[BAitch]

It's hard not to be cynical hey. Governments, corporations, consumers and voters seem to be so focussed on immediate self interests, that the big picture gets lost in the minutia. I too have grave fears for the Australia my Granddaughter will grow up in. It's an aubergine eating hipster society and a 21 million bitcoin long blockchain won't hold this juggernaught back baby.
Loving the passion and nostalgia @BAitch and looking forward to the next instalment.

Thanks 426Cuda for "looking forward to the next instalment". I have yet to decide exactly where I should put the complete story, but suffice to say, up until the beginning of October 2017, barely two weeks before the GM-H factory closed, I had absolutely no desire to buy a Holden, let alone a new Commodore.

Like many in this country, I was “casually” aware of the decision to close the car manufacturing in Australia but from my perspective it did not worry me greatly. Yes, I too was one of the countless others who did nothing to try to save the industry not that my voice (or anyone else for that matter) could have made one iota of difference with the unenlightened “decision makers” in Canberra. Then from about 6 October I had this inexplicable urge that I had to buy one of the last Holden Commodores. I cannot explain it, as my life until then was pretty well uncomplicated being retired and I would have to get the funds from our dormant asset loan account. But on a pension, would we manage? And what about the 4 year old Mazda3 we already owned? So, where did this thought originate about buying a Commodore? I cannot explain it, except the answer may rest with my Dad, one of the best automotive engineers I have ever met who worked in a Holden dealership in Armidale from 1947 until he passed away in December 1972. He always made a comment each time I bought a Japanese car that I really should take a closer look into a Torana! (When I came home on leave from PNG with a new 1972 Colt Galant GTO M2 that I had brought with me he did change his mind about Japanese cars though!)

I would like to think that Dad had something to do with this extraordinary decision to “Go Holden”!

The rest is history, and apart from buying one of the best products from GM-H of the 6 cylinder variety, I have now belatedly increased my knowledge of this stupid, ignorant decision to cease subsidies to the motor industry, and for all of us to "look forward" to a future of buying an automobile that has most likely been a recipient of some kind of support from a more enthusiastic overseas government. And reflect on the skills and knowledge of those intimately involved in the industry that has now been lost.

The real irony is that the VF's replacement comes from a German manufacturer - that has had a subsidy included in its ultimate price. How stupid can we get!!

 

[abuch47]

Yes but thats all australian industries, we arent a big enough country to compete within our borders and imports are cheaper due to labour costs and associated standards of living.