Hi Bob Aldons, The Car Guy, with a comment regarding the announcement today of Ford’s move to a 5-year warranty unlimited kilometre warranty on all passenger and commercial vehicles.
Up until April 30th, 2018, Ford offered a 3-year warranty with some seasonal offerings to 5 years. In fact, my dealer broker division delivered a couple of Ford Ranger’s in mid-April and unfortunately, this small business customer didn’t get the benefit of the 2 extra years. From a manufacturer’s viewpoint, there’s always going to be some unhappy buyers when they draw a line in the sand for anything like this.
Follows is Ford Motor Company of Australia’s press release – In Their Own Words
“New five-year unlimited kilometre warranty as standard extends after-sales care for Ford customers
- New five-year unlimited kilometre warranty now standard across the full Ford lineup – including commercial vehicles, Ranger now has the class-leading standard warranty in the pick-up 4×4 segment
- The five year, unlimited kilometre warranty extends Ford Australia’s comprehensive after-sales care package, which already includes Sat Nav updates, Auto Club Membership (with Roadside Assistance), Loan Car and Service Price Promise
- The warranty applies to all new vehicles delivered from May 1, 2018
MELBOURNE, 14 May 2018 – Ford Australia is now offering customers a five-year unlimited kilometre Ford Express New Vehicle Warranty, as standard on all new vehicles, including Ford’s highly acclaimed commercial vehicle range. The warranty applies to all new vehicles delivered from May 1, 2018, and replaces Ford’s three-year 100,000 kilometre offering.
Ford Australia has been building a comprehensive after-sales care package since 2012, which already includes highly competitive offerings for customers such as Sat Nav updates, Loan Car, Auto Club Membership (with Roadside Assistance) and Service Price Promise. The addition of a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty extends the after-sales care package even further, offering customers additional peace of mind when purchasing a new Ford.
“This is another step in our transformation plan,” said Graeme Whickman, President and CEO of Ford of Australia. “We’re transforming our dealerships, our products, our customer service and ownership experience, and today we’re introducing a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty to offer even more value for our customers.”
As Australians continue to pivot towards commercial vehicles, and with more buyer types choosing these vehicles for commercial and daily use, Ford is pleased to include its commercial vehicle range in the new warranty offering.
“Our Ranger and Transit owners rely on their vehicles and we want them to know Ford’s got them covered for five years and unlimited kilometres,” said Whickman.
“At five years and unlimited kilometres, Ranger has the class-leading standard warranty within the pick-up and cab chassis segment,” he added.
“This is not a special offer, it’s what customers have been asking for and it’s what we are delivering today,” said Whickman. “We will continue to innovate and find new ways to provide the best service and benefits we can for our customers.”
The new warranty complements Ford’s already extensive after-sales care offering, at participating dealers, which includes:
- Loan Car – To help keep customers on the road when getting a scheduled service, Ford offers a Loan Car program.
- Service Price Promise – With Ford’s Service Price Promise, customers will know what they are going to pay for a standard service before they even come in by using Ford’s Service Calculator available at ford.com.au.
- Auto Club Membership – State Auto Club Membership and Roadside Assistance for up to 12 months is included when customers complete a scheduled service, for up to seven years/unlimited kilometres.
- Sat Nav map Update – SYNC® 3 vehicles with Satellite Navigation receive yearly map updates for up to seven years with scheduled servicing and SYNC® 2 vehicles with Satellite Navigation receive yearly map updates until September 2024.”
Bob Aldons is the owner and founder of The Car Guy, reviewing cars, reporting on Car Industry Matters, Car Tech and the world at large. He’s spent the last forty years immersed in the automotive industry from salesman to the owner of a 7 brand multi-franchise dealership. Bob knows cars.
Find One
If you’re hunting around for a great price on your next new car, you should call the auto expert, Bob Aldons from Car Business. My company, a car Broker, Car Buyers Agent or Car Buyers Advocate based on the north side of Brisbane, will return your inquiry within 24 hours and make the process of buying a new car easy and stress-free. Are you tired of salesperson tricks? I protect you from the pressure exerted by car dealer’s salespeople. There isn’t any obligation – just a pretty significant saving.
You’re where? Seriously, my services are available for you in any Australian state and territory: from Darwin to Hobart, Cairns to Perth. Car Broker Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, and Darwin – I’m available when you need me to be.
Here’s an example
Matt wanted to purchase a Mazda 3 SP25 GT Manual Hatch. The retail value, drive away on that car is around $35,000. Car Business managed to purchase the same car for $28, 123.90 and with our fee Matt paid $25, 588, a saving of over $6000. And how do we know? Another customer, (looking for a new Holden HSV) just paid $35,000 for the same car – but he did it himself, without our assistance
If you’ve got a vehicle to trade, we have some clever ways to maximize the value – from used car dealers keen for your car to assist you to sell it privately. Finance and Insurance? We can handle that too, and we promise you will not be paying exorbitant dealer markups there either.
Trade In Value Example
2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited. Average dealer trade value – $16500. We achieved $22,000
2014 Volkswagen Tiguan 118TSI. Average dealer trade value – $14000. We achieved $16000
So, to get the best new car price, talk to others and then talk me. I’ve got the experience to handle the dealers and achieve the lowest new car prices. If you think you’re entitled to fleet pricing, I can often get better than that too. Whether you’re a small fleet or a large national fleet, Car Business will go to work and get that price down. Lower new car prices are my goal. So you’ll get the best prices from us rather than hoping you can help yourself.
If I can’t get you the best new car price, better than you can get yourself from a car dealer, we won’t charge you any fee. No Saving, No Fee. – that’s what you should expect from a car buying expert.
Car Business WILL save you money on your next new car purchase – guaranteed
The Australian Road Safety Foundation is a not-for-profit organization whose charter is to reduce serious accidents on our roads through training and education. Car Business donates to the ARSF for every car we sell. If you’d like to support this worthwhile foundation, donate to the cause, become a member today or just buy your next new car from Car Business
In Closing
My reviews aren’t based on power performance or high-speed handling capacity. They’re not based on 0-100 Kim/hr of 4.0 seconds. And they’re certainly not super luxury vehicles that many other “old timers” are feted on by the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin
Back when I started in the motor industry salespeople were schooled and skilled in a process called the road to the sale. Part of that process was a presentation of the car that the customer was ultimately considering,
The six position sell showed the features, advantages, and benefits as it related to that specific car in the eyes and thought process of that particular customer
Those days of a true car sales professional seem to have gone.
Nowadays it seems that all salespeople want to do is accept that the customer knows everything about the car they’re interested in, want to crunch the customer as quickly as possible and get onto the next sale
In my opinion, this is one of the reasons that there’s such a high turnover in salespeople in this industry of ours.
Now I think that I’m a car industry expert, not because I sell lots of cars, but, as I was taught over 40yeras ago, time sells motor cars.
The more time you spend with a customer, the more information you provide them and the more you’re there for them Even AFTER they take delivery of their new car, the more repeat and referral business you’ll get.
Typically second and subsequent sales only provide 10% of a car salespersons business. Referral business, where an existing customer refers a friend, relation or work colleague back tot eh selling salesperson as someone to trust and buy a car from is even less – probably 5%
So, if you’re a young salesperson reading this article, let me tell you that you should be getting 40-50% of your business from repeat and referral business.
And how do you get that much? Well, that’s a story for another article or an opportunity to join me in a training course.
Disclaimer
For your interest, my motoring reviews are my opinion of the vehicle I’m testing. The manufacturer or distributor, in this case, Kia Australia, doesn’t tell me what to write or ask for a ‘nice’ review. Nor am I paid for these reviews – I simply call it as I see it.
I often wonder about the ‘truth’ that I see from other motoring journalists. And I’m particularly referring to newspapers, online forums, and magazines where the company that owns the publication receives substantial advertising support from the various manufacturers.
Do the owners or editors tell their journalists to go easy on the review? I’m not sure, never having been in that position. Would I turn to softer reviews if my company was being paid for good reviews? Not likely. My independence as a writer is not for sale. I’d rather say no than be bought.
In any case, If that ever happens, rest assured that I’ll be telling that story with interest.
