Goodbye... Holden :(

[figjam]

Anybody remember what platform the 5th gen Camaro was built one?

You mean the fibreglass one that Detroit sent here and told Holden to design and engineer to completion as a production ready example ?
The one that spelled the demise of the god-awful pig-ugly mess of a VE Monaro ?
Nah ….. sorry. Can't help.

 

[tml678]

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.

mate they manufactured here for nearly 70yrs, if they weren't able to work us out in that time then.....

 

[figjam]

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,

Maybe they saw the writing on the wall well before the general public, and decided to milk the goose before it went dry.
GM have been very good at running their company at taxpayers expense, all around the world. No Govt money, no factories.

 

[Immortality]

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.

Yes, Holden built a world class car and then GM pulled the rug out from under their feet. Let's look at the LWB Caprice police vehicle built specifically for the US market. That car outperformed all the US made vehicles in their tests and yet it was never exported in any quantity because the protectionist systems/rules used in many US police departments that meant they would only use US made vehicles. The lack of export vehicles very much played a part in the demise of manufacturing and ultimately Holden itself.

 

[VSHeaven]

They say we all good for 10 years for parts and service.

From Holden. Read between the lines.

For how long will Holden provide spare parts?
Holden will provide existing Holden customers aftersales support for at least 10 years, including warranty, service, spare parts and any required recall or field actions.
This statement tells me that if you've got some spare dollars to spare then go get those parts very soon, especially if you're a pre ZB owner. Holden will be looking to clear it's parts warehouse in Dandenong of parts that don't suit the 10 year criteria as quick as possible. I'd be making up a list of parts and hitting up your local Holden dealer before it's too late. I truly believe this.

 

[losh1971]

Maybe they saw the writing on the wall well before the general public, and decided to milk the goose before it went dry.
GM have been very good at running their company at taxpayers expense, all around the world. No Govt money, no factories.

If only I was a fly on the wall..... I think we are all pretty confident that when the gravy train runs dry the party is over.

 

[Immortality]

Maybe they saw the writing on the wall well before the general public, and decided to milk the goose before it went dry.
GM have been very good at running their company at taxpayers expense, all around the world. No Govt money, no factories.

GM workers have been on strike in the US for some time. The new Corvette is months late in hitting the showroom floors. I guess their current workforce want a larger slice of the pie too!

 

[VSHeaven]

What models are they going to supply parts for? I have a VF Calais V and a JH Cruze SRIV. I can’t really see parts being an issue for either of those for a while.

I disagree. I think the Cruze parts will go sooner than the VF. If you want to stockpile parts then do it now.

 

[Trevor loves holden.]

China will make good quality after market parts once Holden stop making them. They are rubbing their hands more money going their way..

 

[tml678]

Let's look at the LWB Caprice police vehicle built specifically for the US market

yet it was never exported in any quantity because the protectionist systems/rules used in many US police departments that meant they would only use US made vehicles

that makes zero sense? You're suggesting that they developed a car for the US market, despite that market predominantly only wanting to use US made vehicles?

they used to export shitloads of caprices into the Middle East too, what happened to that?

My guess - caprice effectively had an 11yr model run, and despite an interior and (v8) engine refresh..it was obsolete