Holden Offers Money-Back Guarantee On Epica Range

[JoeT]

Money Back Guarantee For Midsize Holden

Mike Sinclair
27 April 2007
www.carpoint.com.au

Holden has launched its new Epica, with a 'satisfaction or your money back' guarantee.

Holden has unveiled its secret weapon to target the midsize market. And while it first showed the new Epica sedan at the Brisbane Motor Show in February, its ace in the hole is not the car's driving dynamics, nor its midsized-plus interior space. It's not the car's competitive equipment levels or $30K-something pricing for the top-of-the-range model... No, the secret weapon is now out in the open -- a money back guarantee.

Private buyers who purchase the new Epica sedan before December 31, 2007 will have 30 days or 1500km to decide on whether they want to keep the car. If they are not happy with it, they will be able to return the car to their Holden dealer and receive a full refund of their purchases costs -- on-road costs included.

The Epica Money Back Offer was revealed at the car's media launch this week in Melbourne. According to Holden staffers, the offer is not the focus of the car's launch to market, however, they say, it will be an important tool to tempt private buyers to move to Holden and try the all-new nameplate.

The offer is far from unconditional, however. In fact, to obtain the refund the ex-Epica owners must provide proof of purchase of another new vehicle of equal or greater value within the 30-day period. The ability or willingness of private buyers to fund the purchase of two new vehicles in the same 30 days arguably makes the guarantee a rather cynical marketing exercise.

Our advice to prospective purchasers is (as always) to read the fine print.

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Money-Back Guarantee For New Holden

Toby Hagon
27 April 2007
www.drive.com.au

Holden is offering your money back if you don't like its new Epica mid-sized car, the cheapest six-cylinder car on the market.

Holden is offering a radical money-back guarantee - believed to be an Australian first - on its new mid-sized car, the Epica.

During 2007, private buyers who purchase the Korean-made replacement for the Vectra will be able to hand it back within 30 days and fewer than 1500 kilometres on the odomoter if they are dissatisfied with the vehicle.

There are, of course, various terms and conditions, including ensuring the car is undamaged. Plus, you have to provide proof you have purchased (or will purchase) a new vehicle of equal or greater value than the Epica you're handing back.

But, for the most part, the money-back offer is a way of potentially "sealing the deal" against more established competitors, the most obvious of which is the Epica's prime target, the popular and well trusted Toyota Camry.

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Holden Epica Faces Uphill Battle

Toby Hagon
27 April 2007
www.drive.com.au

Read between the lines and the Epica is the small car Holden not so much yearned for but the one the company had to have.

While, officially, it was all smiles from Holden employees as they launched the Epica, you get the impression there’s hardly immense pride in this latest offering.

Like the latest Barina and Viva, the Epica is a Daewoo with a Holden badge.

In short, ideally, Holden would have liked to keep the impressive but overpriced Vectra on its books. But unfavourable exchange rates meant the end for the once loved Vectra.

So now it’s the Epica’s, a made-in-Korea Daewoo that has some fairly old technology underneath. Some components are up to a decade old, shared with cars like the Daewoo Magnus and Leganza.

In the hotly contested mid-sized segment, it’s disappointing to see it doesn’t even have an electronic stability system (ESP) available on any models. ESP can work wonders in avoiding a crash by individually braking wheels to control a slide.

For me, too, the Epica is not the most attractive car in the world, to say the least. Odd proportions those strange headlights and an occasionally cheap-looking chrome-look let the side down.

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Return To Vendor - Buyer Beware

Ashlee Pleffer
4 May 2007
www.carsguide.com.au

With sales at record levels, competition at its toughest and environmental issues growing, manufacturers are seeking new ways to attract buyers.

Holden, however, has gone to extremes - offering to give your money back if you don't like its new Korean-made Epica mid-sized sedan launched in Australia last week.

But the offer does come with conditions: GM Holden spokesman John Lindsay says the money-back guarantee must be taken up within 30 days or when the mileage hits 1500km, whichever comes first. And those wanting to take up the offer must prove they've bought another car of at least equal value to the Epica they are handing back.

The move has prompted a warning from the NRMA which says potential buyers should realise it is not just a chance to get a free car for a month.

"People have to be aware of the conditions, they have to be committed to buying a vehicle in 30 days" says NRMA Motoring Services Vehicle Program specialist Jack Haley.

"They can't just have a joy ride. They have to look after it or the factory or dealer won't want to take it back. As long as people are aware of this, it's a good opportunity to evaluate a vehicle for a longer time than they can on a short test drive and find if they really like it." Haley says buyers should still do their homework properly and check out all the options before buying any car.

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Holden Epica CDX

[GMusa]

sounds like a good idea to me!

[mikmak]

And easily backed. I drove one this week. It is money well spent! Review coming soon

[JoeT]

MikMak - GMI's official reporter for SE Queensland. I look for to it. I've read a lot of mixed feeling of what people think the Epica will be.

[jbernie]

I want the one in the 2nd picture with the palm tree groiwing out of the sun roof )... good optical illusion

[kenman923]

Enen Holden is offering rebates. Wow. That's something.

[asim]

Sounds pretty good to me. The real great thing is that they are refunding on-road costs and taxes too (at least thats what I assume). lol

[redTT]

Hope this works for Holden. It's about thime that Toyolet has a little competition in the midsize class.

Just going by the looks of the Epica and the Camry, I would easily go for the Epica.

[Aych Es Vee]

when I had my stock engine in my 1987 Commodore (before I switched to an RB25det ), it was 114kw, and the car was 1250kgs ......
105kw in a 1500kg must seriously suck.....

I like the Epica, although it LOOKS typically Korean. The interior looks pretty good. But I hope its a stop-gap vehicle untill a Torana eventually arrives, lol!!

[teamkiwiracing]

Sorry for going of topic but does anyone know what is under the bonnet of this Epica/Tosca that was on display at the Seoul Motorshow....It seems to have quad pipes coming out the rear compared to the stated single pipe of the Epica that OZ and NZ get

Seoul Motor Show 2007: GM Daewoo Models

[Ming]

Originally Posted by teamkiwiracing

Sorry for going of topic but does anyone know what is under the bonnet of this Epica/Tosca that was on display at the Seoul Motorshow....It seems to have quad pipes coming out the rear compared to the stated single pipe of the Epica that OZ and NZ get
[/url]

Not sure on that one (my guess it was a show car to explore possibilities, like some of the ones we get here in the States done by custom shops for the auto shows), but on a side note there was a Diesel Tosca introduced recently. I loved the wheels on that black one from the show, though.

[TKR]

Originally Posted by kenman923

Enen Holden is offering rebates. Wow. That's something.

??? There is a big difference between a rebate and a money back guarantee.

[teamkiwiracing]

Originally Posted by TKR

??? There is a big difference between a rebate and a money back guarantee.

My interputation of a rebate is where you get a % or a portion of what you pay eg $3000, wheres holdens 'money back guarantee' is that you get the full $32995 of what you pay. Leads me to wonder whether they will offer the same policy her in NZ, highly doubt it

[Ssom]

So if I want to buy an Epica, I'd be best waiting for the flood of low km "Ex-demos"?

Sounds like the plan could potentially backfire.

[ford&holden]

Originally Posted by mikmak

And easily backed. I drove one this week. It is money well spent! Review coming soon

I've seen and touched one in our pre delivery holding yard, i'm curious to see what you think...