Ford’s decision to introduce a five-year warranty is to be applauded.
But is it too little, too late for the Blue Oval now languishing at number five in the Australian market?
Ford now trails Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi, the latter making a recent return to form.
But at least Ford can take comfort in the fact it is now ahead of Holden which has slumped to sixth position.
Then there’s the evergreen Toyota which continues to be dominate the market, with an 18.5 per cent share of the spoils.
But the world’s largest manufacturer of motor vehicles must becoming at least nervous about the rise and rise of the likes of Mazda and Hyundai, now sitting in second and third place respectively.
Toyota was the market leader in April with a 20.1 per cent share, followed by Mazda (9.3
per cent), Hyundai (8.6 per cent), Mitsubishi (6.6 per cent) and Ford (5.8 per cent).
The thing is Toyota still offers a dusty, three-year/100,000km warranty, “giving you the peace of mind to feel confident for years to come.”
Seriously?
Ten years ago Ford was the number three player in the country.
Its introduction of a five-year warranty can’t hurt, but it still trails Kia’s industry standard seven-year warranty, and let’s not forget Holden’s daliance with a seven-year term for Equinox and the new Commodore — it doesn’t seem to be paying dividends.
The new five-year, unlimited kilometre is offered across the board, including Ford’s commercial vehicles which includes utes.
It applies to all new vehicles delivered from May 1, 2018 and replaces Ford’s previous three year/100,000 kilometre offering.
Ford Australia CEO, Graeme Whickman, says the company has been building a comprehensive after-sales care package since 2012 (about the time it fell from grace)
This already includes highly competitive offerings for customers such as satnav updates, loan car, auto club membership (with roadside assistance) and service price promise.
Whickham said 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,” he said.
“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.”
Ford’s inclusion of commercial vehicles acknowledges the growing use of utilities and even vans for daily and/or family use.
“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,” Whickman said.
“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.”
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