Goodbye... Holden :(

[Immortality]

As an American living in Australia who has been driving Commodores for more than 15 years, I can assure you that there were a lot more factors that contributed to Holden's demise than just General Motor's parenting skills. Your car industry was heavily subsidized by government up until a few years ago, effectively creating a bubble that burst when the Government decided to stop subsidizing the industry. Car production costs in Australia are/were some of the most expensive in the industrialized world, thanks to your unions. But really, the main cause is Australians voted with their wallets these last few years and were not buying Holdens in volumes that would justify a GM presence. You have a very small car market in Australia that does not justify a GM subsidiary. If you want to blame someone, blame yourselves.


At the risk of being tarred and feathered, I have said it before and I will say it again, the current ZB Commodore is the best Commodore ever sold. Anyone who say's it's not a real Commodore has either not driven one or is just being a subjective fanboy. And your sentiment is exactly the reason why GM has closed shop here. If you don't buy the products, don't expect the store to remain open.

Please remind me how many billions the US government bailout was for GM? Or the bankruptcy that eliminated all the workers benefits... biggest automotive corporate bailout ever there was!

Loyal Commodore driver? Seriously, GM has raped and pillaged automotive marquees around the globe because they no longer fit with the GM/Trump vision of US first and foremost. Today GM shat on our beloved Holden, I might have said it was going to happen but that doesn't mean I'm not pissed off about it so please don't come here and preach to us about our Commodore!

 

[tml678]

Today GM shat on our beloved Holden,

agreed, but they aren't selling many cars here, what are they supposed to do? If it doesn't make business sense, then it's a non-starter.

 

[Immortality]

agreed, but they aren't selling many cars here, what are they supposed to do? If it doesn't make business sense, then it's a non-starter.

I don't disagree with the facts but its obvious that GM raped and pillaged Holden since the VE and now its worthless it's simply discarded.

 

[DanielSS-V]

Well for once I have to agree with Big T, reading between the lines of what he's written is a message and it screams that our standard of living is just way too high. It's not just the car industry but every part of manufacturing in this over priced country along with the USA and the UK. Isn't it amazing that these 3 countries which all claim themselves as world leaders are actually falling way behind the 8 ball while China and many other previous 3rd world countries are steaming on ahead.................at our expense I might add.

We need to take a good long hard look at ourselves and ask the question.................where are we going to be in 20 odd years time ?

Well if the answer is working in jobs so low paid, you can actually claim social security benefits (aka United States) while employed for a living, then I don't think that is the path to salvation. Please excuse my lack of enthusiasm for throwing my standard of living away and giving the money to the top one percent as they have done in the US. The truth is that we have had many opportunities including value adding to mining, renewable energy technology and even military technology, but we have to think ourselves better and clever enough to actually do it. At present our standard response is "yeah, nah mate. I'd rather dig a hole".

 

[Immortality]

Anybody remember what platform the 5th gen Camaro was built one? You know, that iconic GM muscle car that was part of a resurgent GM market in the US.

 

[tml678]

I don't disagree with the facts but its obvious that GM raped and pillaged Holden since the VE and now its worthless it's simply discarded.

I don't follow?..they invested $1bn into VE, if that wasn't evidence of their commitment and confidence towards the brand at that time then I'm not sure what is? Yes I certainly agree that they demanded too much in subsidies from the Australian government to maintain manufacturing here, but what government doesn't subsidise their car industry?

I personally think they Fully intended to have Holden succeed as a full line importer. ZB, Colorado and Astra are excellent vehicles. But the simple fact is, once manufacturing ceased, that was the death knell for them. If we weren't going to buy homemade cars anymore, then nothing from abroad was going to save them.

 

[DanielSS-V]

Up sh*t creek, they want to get to zero carbon by 2050, so that means no farting animal's or humans, We have become this way because the UN wants to reserve Australia for the future pushing everything into 3rd world countries, its all easy to find in the agenda 2030 sustainable living for the future which means full control over us.
What I hate is we can have cheaper cleaner power using black coal which will reduce carbon by 30% but no that's for China so they can be the supplier to everyone around the world while we burn dirty brown coal, also we have to take around 10% of china carbon emissions and put it on our total, its called free trade that has killed our economy, free trade should be 50/50 not 25/75. China get away with it all the time its about time they take responsibility for once and be held accountable.
This government has been sending us into economy hardship for years bowing down to the UN and their agenda. Without jobs or manufacturing and big cooperation's paying taxes means the middle man will have to pay and up goes taxes..

Why am I thinking UN black helicopters and moon landing conspiracies right now?

 

[DanielSS-V]

I don't follow?..they invested $1bn into VE, if that wasn't evidence of their commitment and confidence towards the brand at that time then I'm not sure what is? Yes I certainly agree that they demanded too much in subsidies from the Australian government to maintain manufacturing here, but what government doesn't subsidise their car industry?

I personally think they Fully intended to have Holden succeed as a full line importer. ZB, Colorado and Astra are excellent vehicles. But the simple fact is, once manufacturing ceased, that was the death knell for them. If we weren't going to buy homemade cars anymore, then nothing from abroad was going to save them.

In a nutshell the powers that be in Detroit, didn't understand the market in Australia. I think they were genuinely shocked at the fallout from the end of local production.

 

[losh1971]

I don't follow?..they invested $1bn into VE, if that wasn't evidence of their commitment and confidence towards the brand at that time then I'm not sure what is?

1bn and they kept the Alloytec...... They obviously were investing in the wrong areas.

 

[tml678]

Well if the answer is working in jobs so low paid, you can actually claim social security benefits (aka United States) while employed for a living, then I don't think that is the path to salvation.

I don't think anyone would disagree with you there. However, in the case of Holden, had the unions given SOME concession, then their members may still have been in a job. Instead they opted to milk the golden goose dry, and coupled with changing attitudes towards their vehicles, the writing was on the wall.