1 less competitor in the Market - OPEL gooooooooone

[goodfella]

Well the party is all but over, Ford may be winding up local production, but seems GM/OPEL/Holden arent out of the woods as well!

opel-pulls-out-from-australia-after-only-one-year

Thank God I didn't buy the OPC!

[team_v]

Well the party is all but over, Ford may be winding up local production, but seems GM/OPEL/Holden arent out of the woods as well!

opel-pulls-out-from-australia-after-only-one-year

Thank God I didn't buy the OPC!

Jeez, they only opened their main dealership in Brisbane a few months ago.
Seen a few of the astra opc's getting around.

[kaanage]

I guess you need a SUV in the range to survive in our market

[ParaBul]

I thought it was strange thet they chose to take on the Australian market. Reading the linked story, I would say they didn't do their market research properly:

in order to be competitive they would have to make significant price cuts and also invest money in the brand's awareness

How could they NOT know their required pricing and level of brand awareness?

[Umai Naa!!]

Yeah somebody done goofed.

Can't say I've ever seen a new Opel out on the road in recent times.

[pologti18t]

I can't imagine the sliding AUD would do them any good either.

[hoi polloi]

I can't imagine the sliding AUD would do them any good either.

When they were sold with Holden badges on them they did OK though...

The problem IIRC is Holden never wanted Opel here - it was GM who pressed through with import plans. Opel were therefore a bit of an orphan in that respect.

- Anthony.

[sVWatt]

Holy Dooley. That's unbelievable. The adverts were all about more models, here to stay. I feel truly sorry for anyone who believed the GM hype and bought one.

[brad]

I can't imagine the sliding AUD would do them any good either.

Anyone who is doing a long term import business plan using an AUD at the current inflated levels it has with the Euro or USD has rocks in their head.

It was only about 10 years ago I was importing at AUD0.46=USD1.00. 65c-80c is "the norm".

I guess what's left of the Opel people can go & work with the Saab person at Holden's HQ

[Umai Naa!!]

The Saab person's position may no longer exist, since Saab's Australian involvement finally went into receivership not so long ago.

[brad]

The Saab person's position may no longer exist, since Saab's Australian involvement finally went into receivership not so long ago.

Yes, but I believe GM still have a responsibility to provide spare parts for "X" number of years & Holden took over the reigns?

So there's an old age pensioner that looks after SAAB spares when he isn't weeding the garden at Holden HQ (Maybe I read it all wrong when SAAB AU was going belly-up)

[hoi polloi]

Yes, but I believe GM still have a responsibility to provide spare parts for "X" number of years...

I think it's 10 minimum...

- Anthony

[Umai Naa!!]

Tell that to Holden.

VZ wagon upper shock mounts have been obsolete for about 4 years now. When did the last of them roll off the production line? '06?

[hoi polloi]

Tell that to Holden.

VZ wagon upper shock mounts have been obsolete for about 4 years now.

Maybe so, I still don't think Opel parts will be a problem (given they're not ceasing production, they're just not selling new cars in Australia)...

A work colleague has a Rover 75. That company went bust in 2005?.. In Australia, parts importation/sales went to Caterpillar (yep, the same mob who do the construction equipment)... He's still able to get parts for that (although he hasn't pranged it or anything)...

- Anthony

[Umai Naa!!]

Getting parts is the easy bit, given the online shopping avenues out there.

It's the warranty and technical back-up that will affect those that bought them.