What are your comments about how the Nissan brand is being managed in the Philippines

[masa]

What are your comments about how the Nissan brand is being managed in the Philippines

Good day everyone. I just want to pick your brains about the state of Nissan in the Philippines. Feel free to mention anything relevant about the cars, the market, the management.

Thank you!

[theshepherd]

Malakas ang aircon.

Peace out!

[K.I.L.L.]

I love Nissan. The skyline, the sylvia and the patrol are fantastic cars! As for managing the brand, well... they suck!

The reason why Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi have done well is because they seem to be more reliable and their maintenance is cheaper. Since people like them, there is a higher demand for them thus there is a strong secondary market for them which drives up resale price which is another attraction for buyers. The releases of Nissan lately haven't been exciting. I like the Teana. I drove one for 2 months before and I find it more luxurious than my Camry but most people do not even know it exists. The Patrol I think is priced too high. At its price point, people who would consider it would gravitate to the LC200. I barely see any brand new Nissan compacts these days.

[vinj]

One word: Sayang

From a strong player (3rd or 4th in the market?) that introduced innovative models in the 1990s (Vanette, Sentra B13 and B14, Cefiro, and S14 200sx) that were up-to-date with what was being released worldwide and popular with car enthusiasts, it stagnated with ho-hum styling, spotty quality on small electrical parts that were presumably Taiwan sourced, and engines and long model lifespans as the 2000s came in. These seems to have happened when Yulon came into the picture.

We still have our 1993 Sentra and yes, the aircon still runs better than some of the newer cars we have in our garage.

[basti08]

Mismanaged.

If I run Nissan here in the Philippines.

My complete line-up would be.

1. Micra- to battle the Mirage, i10, Picanto, Spark, Celerio. Would offer 1.2L and top spec 1.4L to serve as low end model to supplement the
2. Versa Note hatchback. Which should offer 1.6L or in our case, since the Almera has 1.5L engine, so NMPI should at least be oblige the bring in that hatch. Since the Jazz and Fiesta seems to be doing well.
3. Almera- which is already here.
4. all new Sentra- in 1.6L and 1.8L guise.
and Sunny/Pulsar hatchback to battle the Mazda 3, Ford Focus
5. all new Teana based on the USDM Altima in 2.5L 4 cyl, to battle the 4cyl Mazda 6, Camry, Accord, Malibu etc.
6. Maxima SV- top spec V6 as the top line sedan to battle the Camry and Accord V6.
7. Navarra SV with the current Low and High power 2.5LDCi and the new 3.0V6 DCi engine
8. a special philippine exclusive previous gen Pathfinder 7 seater
With 2.5L High-power 174hp engine ranging in 1.5-1.8M and a top spec 3.0V6 DCi 228hp version for around 2-2.1M to battle the Fortuner/MS up to Sorento/Santa Fe levels.
9. Juke SL/SV with 1.6L 4cyl NA (front drive)/turbo versions (All Wheel Drive) to battle the upcoming Ford EcoSport and to help create a new quasi SUV niche.

10. All new Xtrail in gasoline and DCi engines and 7 seat availability. The new Xtrail is big enough to battle the new Santa Fe and carries as much people. So, people who wants car based SUV may choose between the Xtrail and Pathfinder.

11. JDM Urvan/NV350 alongside the current Urvan. To battle the Hi-Ace commuter, up-to Super Grandia.


12. JDM EL-Grand Minivan- to battle the luxury van segment which battles the Starex Limousine and Alphard Minivan, Honda Odyssey as well as other luxury MPVs to cross-shop.

13. Current Patrol to battle the Prado and Pajero CK with updated engine and the Patrol Royale with DCi and V8 Petrol engines for the LC200.

14. lastly, an aggressively price 370Z. In some markets, the 370Z's price is slashed to 86/BRZ, Genesis levels. Of course, that is the base model only. With available options to boost specs.

[niky]

The problem with being under Yulon is that the Taiwanese market is so different from the Philippine market. It's very hard to explain to the bosses that we need different models here.

I think they were encouraged by the continuing good sales when they did the luxurious "Exalta" and Cefiro models, but that's top-down marketing. The old, rich customers who were buying into the Cefiro lifestyle weren't going to live forever. Their only foray into small, entry-level cars was the Verita, which was again, mini-luxury instead of a good entry-level car for new customers and conquest customers.

At the same time, Toyota and Honda went downmarket with the City and Vios to capture new customers. Those conquest customers became lifetime loyalists, who then graduated to Civic/Corolla level, and now Accord/Camry level.

-

Long story short: You don't grow by catering only to customers you already have. You grow by actively hunting down new customers.

[basti08]

I forgot the GT-R. If the growing Ferrari, Porsche, Lambo market here isn't giving NMPI a hint. There is a market for Godzilla here. :D

[vinj]

Long story short: You don't grow by catering only to customers you already have. You grow by actively hunting down new customers.

Marketing 101 :D

Passe na nga yung GT-R if they bring it out now IMO. Man if they could reincarnate the S14 200sx and price it against the 86... Just like the first gen Toyota Echo, it was just ahead of its time when intro'd into the local market.

[DacoTyan]

Are you affiliated with any of the two Nissan distributors? Or their PR or Ad agency?

[masa]

Are you affiliated with any of the two Nissan distributors? Or their PR or Ad agency?

To answer your question, no.

[foifoi05]

Baka affiliated sa unified/ new nissan management na mag take over hehe

[Wh1stl3r]

Ditto. We had a lot of Nissans in the garage; from the Sentra B13 (2 units), Vanette, Patrol MK and GU, Sentra B14 "S4" and B14 151, A32 Cefiro, D22 Frontier, and N16 Exalta. After the N16 in 2001, we started looking elsewhere.

Mukhang di na bumalik si TS.

I still remember the interiors of the Exalta and Cefiro, ganda talaga. We had 2 D22's, they were bulletproof, tagtag nga lang.

Buti nga may Navara ka pa eh.

Hehe. Isa pa yun. 4x2 pinapangit pa compared to 4x4. Sana same engine tune/suspension/fenders as the 4x4 like in the US, Europe. Medyo nagkaka edad na rin itong Navara, 5 years na rin. Although di ko siguro mabebenta kahit gusto ko, masyadong gamit sa business.

Same, had there been a Micra here. I'd take that over my Mirage.

Cute ng Micra, looks more Euro than Japanese.

Just curious, would you guys go grey market if those models were offered? Kung ok naman ang after sales support and prices are just a step above segment.