Would you buy a discounted Holden?

[prydey]

I thought this deserved it's own thread as I'm semi genuine about the thought of buying one.

Possible discounts are just rumour at this stage via a confidential dealer memo leaked to a car news outlet.

If we believe that Holden (GM) are serious about keeping some dealerships open for servicing and honouring the 10 year parts supply and also the service and warranty agreements, then there seems very little risk (on the surface) in buying a 'fire sale' car.

Obviously the resale will suck but I was thinking more of a long term purchase. A new Astra rumoured to be about $13k drive away would be a good buy I think. Good little shopping trolley for the wife or first car for the daughter.

It all hinges on whether or not GM will honour their word, and their track record isn't great in this regard.

Would you?

This is not about bagging the brand or what could have been. Keep that for the other thread.

[anobserver]

As an economical daily driver, i tend to think the idea has merit. Youve already covered the lack of resale issue, but for the cheaper runabouts its of less relevance. A much cheaper purchase price cuts the depreciation cost, which is one of the biggest elements of total ownership cost.

Servicing may require some travel, but that depends entirely on where you live in relation to the nearest service centre, which likely hasnt been determined yet.

Might be a gamble worth taking.

[bigwil]

Originally Posted by prydey

I thought this deserved it's own thread as I'm semi genuine about the thought of buying one.

Possible discounts are just rumour at this stage via a confidential dealer memo leaked to a car news outlet.

If we believe that Holden (GM) are serious about keeping some dealerships open for servicing and honouring the 10 year parts supply and also the service and warranty agreements, then there seems very little risk (on the surface) in buying a 'fire sale' car.

Obviously the resale will suck but I was thinking more of a long term purchase. A new Astra rumoured to be about $13k drive away would be a good buy I think. Good little shopping trolley for the wife or first car for the daughter.

It all hinges on whether or not GM will honour their word, and their track record isn't great in this regard.

Would you?

This is not about bagging the brand or what could have been. Keep that for the other thread.

if you dont mind holdens then $13000 is a great price for an astra

[.:4:.]

What i see happening is similar to when daewoo left. Any parts, warrenties etc were honored by holden. Granted both brands were under the same umbrella. So gm effectively backing out of the country i can see them striking a deal with another manufacturer just for parts, service and warrenty issues. As for the discounted vehicles, for the private buyer who sells up when the warrenty is up, i see it not a bad deal. Companies who update their fleets every few years will snap up the cheap colorados etc. As for people like myself who keep a car until it costs more in repairs per year then rego and insurance costs, i personally would not take the risk as the car will probably be fine until all support like parts etc dry up and with a lot of models not really selling well in the first place, wrecker parts will be few and far between.

[prydey]

Log book servicing doesn't need a dealer to keep warranty but even still it's generally only once a year on most cars these days.

Not sure what stock levels are like at most dealerships but I'd imagine at these rumoured deals they won't last long.

[BENT_8]

I spoke to the Wife about it, she said she'd be happy to move the Picanto on for a Trax.
I wonder if their doing deals now or closer to the end of the year.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

I spoke to the Wife about it, she said she'd be happy to move the Picanto on for a Trax.
I wonder if their doing deals now or closer to the end of the year.

March onwards I heard.

https://www.caradvice.com.au/827940/holden-discounts-2/

[dunga]

They will probably auction them with no warranty.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by dunga

They will probably auction them with no warranty.

I didn't think buying at auction absolved the manufacturer of their warranty obligations. Only the seller.

[fiestaz]

Most of holdens range are not bad cars. Pretty good in fact. Special mention for Colorado, Astra and commodore. So why not, you’ll get a decent car, cheap, warranty, and it will last a long time. It’s not like they are the rubbish Daewoos of the past anymore.

[dunga]

Originally Posted by prydey

I didn't think buying at auction absolved the manufacturer of their warranty obligations. Only the seller.

Who in their right mind would buy 1 do you think the dealers are going to buy them after being craped on by gm and then warrant them for 7 years. Within 12 months they will just be a memory no parts and warranty and what legal recourse will you have under consumer law if they have gone out of business they would have to be almost giving them away to take the risk.

[lra]

I would be, if I needed a new car, which I don't.
Resale/trade-in value for somebody who changes cars often is going to be terrible, but for some-one who drives their car into the ground over a long period, good value, if (insert many reasons here...………….)

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by dunga

Who in their right mind would buy 1 do you think the dealers are going to buy them after being craped on by gm and then warrant them for 7 years. Within 12 months they will just be a memory no parts and warranty and what legal recourse will you have under consumer law if they have gone out of business they would have to be almost giving them away to take the risk.

So can we assume you won't be interested in one then?

[xr8territory]

I would watch the youtube video on AutoExpert before making a decision to purchase a discounted Holden.
John Cadogan is mad as a meat axe but he does dissect the whole thing very well.

[Sprintey]

Knee jerk reaction is that I've liked the Astra since it was released, the styling really appeals. If I was looking in that class, I'd go have a look. Then I heard about the deals a year or two ago. Now the media saying a 12K Astra - seems incredible.

[dunga]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

So can we assume you won't be interested in one then?

I didn't think I was being that obvious but yes

[anobserver]

As a private buyer, id have no issue holding a car the length of the warranty period. A stock of consumable items is mandated required by the seller.

The length of the warranty, nothing else should be needed.......### crosses fingers#### Near or at warranty end, trade and start again.

The biggest threat to this plan is accident or unexpected wear and tear not covered by warranty. Some parts may be hard or expensive to find...and then the cost advantage is lost.

[MercuryT]

Yes if a Ford Territory

[Mulva]

Originally Posted by xr8territory

I would watch the youtube video on AutoExpert before making a decision to purchase a discounted Holden.
John Cadogan is mad as a meat axe but he does dissect the whole thing very well.

Can I choose to repeatedly slam my cock in a car door instead of watch one of his videos?

[MercuryT]

Oh sorry. Wrong thread.

Thought good car chat

[Sprintey]

Further thought - we tend to keep them for a long time, and pay in cash. Depreciation (JC dissected this well in his yt video, I get what he is saying) in % terms, you can do better with a Kluger compared to an Acadia, yep, I get that too.

However, a 13K Astra? I'd say this would appeal to many people who are cash buyers. New car of Corolla size, 13K instead of 26 onroad (but the 26K Corolla will retain value far better, understand this too). Imagine a world where auto loans didn't exist, loans which have enabled purchase prices to be far inflated from what people having in actual savings... a 13K Astra would be plausible in a loan-free world.

A 13K purchase price risk, you'd suffer that loss driving many cars off the lot.

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by Mulva

Can I choose to repeatedly slam my cock in a car door instead of watch one of his videos?

It's a free world

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by dunga

Who in their right mind would buy 1 do you think the dealers are going to buy them after being craped on by gm and then warrant them for 7 years. Within 12 months they will just be a memory no parts and warranty and what legal recourse will you have under consumer law if they have gone out of business they would have to be almost giving them away to take the risk.

It is law that a manufacturer must back a car for parts for 10 years. This includes GM in this situation.
It has also been said that Holden will still have an office open for customer service/warranty for the next 10 years.

Their hand is forced here, so a buyer is still covered.

[Sprintey]

More thinking - at 13K Astra, buy a second one as a parts car...


There was someone on one of the CA articles, he bought Saabs in the firesale, $400 each he said, bought 9 of them. "Shall we take the blue Saab today?"

[Crazy Dazz]

Oh yes, "Leaked"
Keep in mind that dealers are the masters at turning anything into a profit...

I'm sure that the media and advertising will abound with tales of the great deals they're doing, but then when you get there you'll find the "massive savings" are off the list price, that nobody has been selling them at anyway. And then they'll tell you how they have no stock left, and will have to work extra hard to try and find you a car, and of course you have to sign today or you will miss out.

A lot of dealers are part of groups. If its a good yard and showrooms, it will simply be repurposed, and even at worts if the yard closes they'll just move their stock to another yard. Most of these groups are holding squillions in used-car stocks, so the last thing they want to do is crap all-over that.

I suspect the only way you will get a decent genuine savings is if Holden offers "cash back", otherwise any discount they offer on stock will be mostly snaffled by the dealers.

But, like anything, shop around.
If the best deal you can get on a similarly equipt i30 is $X, and you can get the Astra for $2k less, go for it.

Warranty wise, I imagine they will contract those out to another network. (When Saab went under, their warranty obligations were assigned to Holden.)

As for Parts, meh. If there is demand for parts, somebody will stock them. And worst case, hop on the interwebs and buy them from Europe.

[anobserver]

Dealer: we're clearing the last of these Astras for a one-off price of $12990.

Buyer: how much less tradein for my one-owner Saab?

[bathurst77]

carsguide has calais tourer with under 2k on the clock for 30
thats tempting

[Adamz Ghia]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Oh yes, "Leaked"
Keep in mind that dealers are the masters at turning anything into a profit...

I'm sure that the media and advertising will abound with tales of the great deals they're doing, but then when you get there you'll find the "massive savings" are off the list price, that nobody has been selling them at anyway. And then they'll tell you how they have no stock left, and will have to work extra hard to try and find you a car, and of course you have to sign today or you will miss out.

A lot of dealers are part of groups. If its a good yard and showrooms, it will simply be repurposed, and even at worts if the yard closes they'll just move their stock to another yard. Most of these groups are holding squillions in used-car stocks, so the last thing they want to do is crap all-over that.

I suspect the only way you will get a decent genuine savings is if Holden offers "cash back", otherwise any discount they offer on stock will be mostly snaffled by the dealers.

But, like anything, shop around.
If the best deal you can get on a similarly equipt i30 is $X, and you can get the Astra for $2k less, go for it.

Warranty wise, I imagine they will contract those out to another network. (When Saab went under, their warranty obligations were assigned to Holden.)

As for Parts, meh. If there is demand for parts, somebody will stock them. And worst case, hop on the interwebs and buy them from Europe.

Even if it’s off the list price, if the rumoured $17,500 saving off a Colorado is true that would take an auto LTZ to around $40,000. That’s not bad buying at all.

[jstanovic]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

It is law that a manufacturer must back a car for parts for 10 years. This includes GM in this situation.
It has also been said that Holden will still have an office open for customer service/warranty for the next 10 years.

Their hand is forced here, so a buyer is still covered.

It is not 10 years, it does not state that anywhere in legislation. That was just the industry's "unwritten" rule. The law actually states something along the lines "for an acceptable period." From memory someone on here provided a link to it, buggered if I can find it again...

[CyberWasp]

Has anyone ever found where the stash of non sold vehicles is, and how many are there?