No more Ford Transits ?

[roydmoorian]

At least not in the UK.


But lessthan 10 days after this announcement we hear that The European Investment Bank has awarded an £80,000,000 loan to another of Ford's Transit producing factories in, wait for it.............. Turkey - not even in the EU.


WTF is going on ?

 

[and180y]

At least not in the UK.


But lessthan 10 days after this announcement we hear that The European Investment Bank has awarded an £80,000,000 loan to another of Ford's Transit producing factories in, wait for it.............. Turkey - not even in the EU.


WTF is going on ?

Worse than that, it was our chancellor who signed the loan off!!

 

[Rasta Pickles]

WTF is going on ?

Average wage in Turkey in 2011 = US$907 per month
Average wage in UK in Aug 2012 = US$3024 per month

If Ford employ 3,000 staff to produce their Transits in Istanbul as opposed to Ipswich, their annual wage bill is reduced from US$109m to US$33m.

 

[aquavalet]

What we need is some british firm or venture group to start importing the ldv Maxus vans from there new chinese owners, They have just given the right to a firm in OZ to import the vans at a very very low build rate and sell there.

yes its not the same as building them in the uk but at least we would see a uk name back on the road and jobs in the dealers, sales, mechanics, head office, would be created, not only that they could then look to gain royal mail contracts and convert vans for the royal mail fleet which would need to be done in the Uk.

 

[cheap]

This is how this country is now to dear it's a shame but most of the big company's have to go abroad to save money and most of them who stay here don't pay there taxes like they should there registered abroad.

 

[Rasta Pickles]

This is how this country is now to dear it's a shame but most of the big company's have to go abroad to save money and most of them who stay here don't pay there taxes like they should there registered abroad.

It's been like that for thirty years plus.

The one thing Maggie Thatcher (God bless that woman) cottoned onto was the fact that the miners, and the miners alone, were repeatedly holding the country to ransom in the 1970s but it was possible to import coal from abroad at less than the price it was costing to produce it here.

Now go figure......go do the maths. How can that be possible unless you're being screwed over by the outfit producing it here?

Hence, she took the miners on and won and the miners bleated about losing their jobs.....well, DUH?!

 

[roydmoorian]

This is how this country is now to dear it's a shame but most of the big company's have to go abroad to save money and most of them who stay here don't pay there taxes like they should there registered abroad.

Average wage in Turkey in 2011 = US$907 per month
Average wage in UK in Aug 2012 = US$3024 per month

If Ford employ 3,000 staff to produce their Transits in Istanbul as opposed to Ipswich, their annual wage bill is reduced from US$109m to US$33m.

But why should the EUROPEAN INVESTMESTMENT BANK be lending to Turkey ! !

 

It's been like that for thirty years plus.

The one thing Maggie Thatcher (God bless that woman) cottoned onto was the fact that the miners, and the miners alone, were repeatedly holding the country to ransom in the 1970s but it was possible to import coal from abroad at less than the price it was costing to produce it here.

Yup then she had to pay all that unemployment housing benefit and other benefits to the miners which I am pretty sure was a great deal more expensive for the country that the 4 quid a ton saved in importing coal from the other side of the world.

Ego she might have had.

But economics was not her strong suit.

Unfortunately they who shout loudest get heard ,and she sure could shout.

Now who else in history do we know like that.?:|

 

[ScottishInvestments]

What we need is some british firm or venture group to start importing the ldv Maxus vans from there new chinese owners, They have just given the right to a firm in OZ to import the vans at a very very low build rate and sell there.

yes its not the same as building them in the uk but at least we would see a uk name back on the road and jobs in the dealers, sales, mechanics, head office, would be created, not only that they could then look to gain royal mail contracts and convert vans for the royal mail fleet which would need to be done in the Uk.

Don't say that to my postman. His delivery office was glad to get rid of the LDV's!! According to him, they were heaps of junk and costing RM a fortune to maintain and repair! Poor build quality!

ScotInvest

 

[aquavalet]

Don't say that to my postman. His delivery office was glad to get rid of the LDV's!! According to him, they were heaps of junk and costing RM a fortune to maintain and repair! Poor build quality!

ScotInvest

You have not driven a maxus then, i agree the old ldv 400 sherpa vans were rubbish outdated junk, they only sold due to low price and the fact they were the biggest cheapest pan van you could buy.

However the maxus won van of the year in 2008 and I it was a great van, the italian engines were class winning and they drove very nice and were well priced, maybe not as good as a vivaro however cheaper and good all round.

If you wanted a nice van or stylish then yes dont buy a maxus but if you wanted a good all round van on a budget the maxus was the van, which is why the royal mail have commited to upkeeping the ldv maxus range rather than replace.

 

[ScottishInvestments]

You have not driven a maxus then, i agree the old ldv 400 sherpa vans were rubbish outdated junk, they only sold due to low price and the fact they were the biggest cheapest pan van you could buy.

However the maxus won van of the year in 2008 and I it was a great van, the italian engines were class winning and they drove very nice and were well priced, maybe not as good as a vivaro however cheaper and good all round.

If you wanted a nice van or stylish then yes dont buy a maxus but if you wanted a good all round van on a budget the maxus was the van, which is why the royal mail have commited to upkeeping the ldv maxus range rather than replace.

I test drove the Maxus SWB when some of my fleet needed replaced and it was terrible. The build quality was just so poor. Admittly, the engine was okay, but the doors and interior were terrible. I also hated that the clocks were at the other side of the vehicle!

We then took on some Transits instead (I think they won an award in 2008 too!). Although, if you want a decent van, the Sprinter is the one to go for! We have a 2008 LWB and it's done 210,000 without trouble and still going strong!

The mail centres and delivery offices around here are replacing their LDV's with transits and Sprinters. Some of the LDV's are not even 3 years old and with very low mileage!

Anyway, this is away off topic haha

ScotInvest

 

[matt seymour]

Don't say that to my postman. His delivery office was glad to get rid of the LDV's!! According to him, they were heaps of junk and costing RM a fortune to maintain and repair! Poor build quality!

ScotInvest

I used to sell ex Royal Mail and Parcel Force vans for a fleet disposal company and can confirm that LDVs are the worst vans it has ever been my misfortune to drive... or sell!

Utterly, utterly awful things and the diff on the back axle fails on them after about 10 miles.

I'm pretty sure they were only ever used due to the sheer size of them. They have absolutely no other redeeming features.

 

[british steve]

They have absolutely no other redeeming features.

Other than price!

 

[Banner Stands]

Yes, they are cheap as chips!

The Vauxhall Vivaro is a decent alternative to the Transit, also same van available from Renault and Nissan too.

Had ours for a couple of years and never misses a beat.