Chinese cars make record sales in Australia

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

This is our new LDV G10+ at work - its very fancy for $32K DA

image

Had one on the yard, no waiting period at all

Unfortunately its the turbo diesel, not the turbo petrol one, I wanted the other one

Hmmm, those are RWD too. Would be real fun making deliveries in one of those on a wet day..........

[Syndrome]

One year after this thread was started and it is interesting to note that Chinese made cars increased their share of the Australian market from 3.2% in 2020 to 6.9% in 2021. That is a huge increase! Will they crack 10% by the end of 2022?

https://www.drive.com.au/news/vfacts...-in-australia/

MG : 39,025
Haval : 18,384
LDV : 15,188

Total : 72,597 of 1,049,831

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Hmmm, those are RWD too. Would be real fun making deliveries in one of those on a wet day..........

I've driven it about 20 meters so far bringing it into the warehouse tonight and it has no footrest, the seat is like sitting on a beanbag and it has the world's flimsiest cargo barrier

It's got leather captain's seats but they're no Mercedes Sprinter captain's seat.

Requires more evaluation, I wouldn't be too keen doing a full day behind the wheel from my 20 meters drive experience.

Going from Drive to Park on the electronic shifter took a couple seconds to think about it.

[FPV+fteT3]

Had the GWM Haval ute for a month now (company car) has 3,500km on it. Due for 1st service at 5k It has had the engine light on for the last 500km and the spanner is flashing. Its a POS but I was not expecting it to last very long before having problems. Seems if you buy one with low expectations you wont be disappointed.

[hackney]

The only reason they are selling so well is their price point,nothing else.They are perceived as ‘good value’,which they are really not.Chinese have gone for the Jugular on pricing.

[Franco Cozzo]

Even then my first car was a German made WS Fiesta, the same price 13 years later buys you an MG3 that makes less power, except it has more electronic trickery and that's about all that's changed in that micro car segment for over a decade.

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I've driven it about 20 meters so far bringing it into the warehouse tonight and it has no footrest, the seat is like sitting on a beanbag and it has the world's flimsiest cargo barrier

It's got leather captain's seats but they're no Mercedes Sprinter captain's seat.

Requires more evaluation, I wouldn't be too keen doing a full day behind the wheel from my 20 meters drive experience.

Going from Drive to Park on the electronic shifter took a couple seconds to think about it.

I think you're being a bit harsh here.

The G10 is probably one of the more comfortable in the LDV range. For its price, it is a bloody well equipped van.

I love the comparison to the Sprinter... bit like saying you expect a Ford Escape for arguments sake to be as good if not better than say a Mercedes GLC at twice the price? Not a fair statement to make IMO.

Also; if you have a problem with using a rotary dial or touch gear shifter you're not going to like a lot of modern cars moving in to the future.

[hackney]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

I think you're being a bit harsh here.

The G10 is probably one of the more comfortable in the LDV range. For its price, it is a bloody well equipped van.

I love the comparison to the Sprinter... bit like saying you expect a Ford Escape for arguments sake to be as good if not better than say a Mercedes GLC at twice the price? Not a fair statement to make IMO.

Also; if you have a problem with using a rotary dial or touch gear shifter you're not going to like a lot of modern cars moving in to the future.

‘For its price’,that says it all.They have priced then wholly & solely to gain market share,nothing else.

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by hackney

‘For its price’,that says it all.They have priced then wholly & solely to gain market share,nothing else.

Right.. and?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

I think you're being a bit harsh here.

The G10 is probably one of the more comfortable in the LDV range. For its price, it is a bloody well equipped van.

I love the comparison to the Sprinter... bit like saying you expect a Ford Escape for arguments sake to be as good if not better than say a Mercedes GLC at twice the price? Not a fair statement to make IMO.

Also; if you have a problem with using a rotary dial or touch gear shifter you're not going to like a lot of modern cars moving in to the future.

I've got no problem using a rotary dial shifter, I have a problem when you move it from Drive to Park, then it flashes and thinks about it for a couple seconds, then goes into park

Give me the shift lever - you push the button in and push the ****er in up to the top, it pulls on a cable which moves the linkage on the box into park, then reef on the hand brake and hop out

The reason I used the comparison to the Sprinter was I used to turn the ****ers into ambulances, yes, I am aware its 2.5x the price, but a seat isn't going to make the difference in price there, I had to bust *** to pull circa 200+ of those heavy air cushion seats out of em

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Give me the shift lever - you push the button in and push the ****er in up to the top, it pulls on a cable which moves the linkage on the box into park, then reef on the hand brake and hop out

I agree.. Hyundai has recently put shift by wire in Santa Fe, Palisade & Tucson and I personally haven't liked it so much. I prefer the vehicles where I don't have to stop for a split second to look at what I'm doing, particularly when parking or 3 point turn. Not to mention, if you do things too quickly or don't have enough pressure on the brake pedal it has a sook too.

[Cav]

Just a case of history repeating itself.

Japanese cars in the 60s were getting a similar reaction to the Chinese cars now.

They too were cheap and loaded with extras - heater and AM radio were free!

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by Cav

Just a case of history repeating itself.

Japanese cars in the 60s were getting a similar reaction to the Chinese cars now.

They too were cheap and loaded with extras - heater and AM radio were free!

Koreans also

Compare the current HY/Kia range with the OG Excels etc.

[Franco Cozzo]

The ergonomics of the positioning of the seat, steering wheel and footwell felt a bit weird,

[hackney]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

Right.. and?

That is how they gain market share,very aggressive marketing tactics,the cars are really not that good atm.Should imagine in five years or so they will have progressed quite a bit.I would certainly not go near one.But that is my personal preference.But certainly not good value.Depreciation is enormous on them.

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by hackney

That is how they gain market share,very aggressive marketing tactics,the cars are really not that good atm.Should imagine in five years or so they will have progressed quite a bit.I would certainly not go near one.But that is my personal preference.But certainly not good value.Depreciation is enormous on them.

They're getting better and better at it. Haval is probably the best example at the moment from what I can tell

[Cav]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

The ergonomics of the positioning of the seat, steering wheel and footwell felt a bit weird,

It must be ya body Franco

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by FPV+fteT3

Had the GWM Haval ute for a month now (company car) has 3,500km on it. Due for 1st service at 5k It has had the engine light on for the last 500km and the spanner is flashing. Its a POS but I was not expecting it to last very long before having problems. Seems if you buy one with low expectations you wont be disappointed.

Seems odd to have a first service at 5,000km? So they don't do the earlier 1500km check over like other brands (do they still do that now with new cars?).

And after that service intervals of 10,000km / 12 months.

Why so short when the industry standard is 15,000 km.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Cav

It must be ya body Franco

The truth doesn't have to be nice unfortunately

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Seems odd to have a first service at 5,000km? So they don't do the earlier 1500km check over like other brands (do they still do that now with new cars?).

And after that service intervals of 10,000km / 12 months.

Why so short when the industry standard is 15,000 km.

I'm calling bull**** on 15,000km service intervals, Commodores went to that and they started having dramas with their Alloytecs and timing chains, its like BMW and their bull**** 'the car tells you when it wants to be serviced' and then they crap out timing chain guides and block oil galleries.

10,000km maximum I reckon for longevity, 15,000km service interval is for marketing department.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I'm calling bull**** on 15,000km service intervals, Commodores went to that and they started having dramas with their Alloytecs and timing chains, its like BMW and their bull**** 'the car tells you when it wants to be serviced' and then they crap out timing chain guides and block oil galleries.

10,000km maximum I reckon for longevity, 15,000km service interval is for marketing department.

Absolutely. My cars are done at 10,000km as well.

15k km is still the industry standard:

Hilux - 10k / 6m,
Ranger - 15k / 12m,
BT 50 - 15k / 12m,
D Max - 15k / 12m,
Amarok - 20k / 12m,
Navara - 20k / 12m,
Musso - 15k / 12m,
Triton - 15k / 12m,
T60 - 15k / 12m.

Would have assumed the GWM ute would have matched the industry standard.

Yet, Amarok and Navara go double the KM between services compared to the Hilux and GWM ute.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

The ergonomics of the positioning of the seat, steering wheel and footwell felt a bit weird,

Just like clothes made in China. Either length is okay but too tight, or fit is okay but length too long. They not understand we round eyed people are so broad. :-P

[mick taylor]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I'm calling bull**** on 15,000km service intervals, Commodores went to that and they started having dramas with their Alloytecs and timing chains, its like BMW and their bull**** 'the car tells you when it wants to be serviced' and then they crap out timing chain guides and block oil galleries.

10,000km maximum I reckon for longevity, 15,000km service interval is for marketing department.

I agree Marketing department is the real issue of such nonsense, just like the total BS pushing 91 octane for cars built from 2008 on, such is misleading, because they should be using 95 truly, because the care was designed to run on 95, but can get by on using crap like 91.

Well we are being dictated to or mislead somewhat on such issues, or the Car company's have to comply etc etc.
So we got roller lifters because the government powers that be did not want Zinc in the oils, because they claim such eats the cat converter.

Now I know of say Alloytec V6 that use a lot of oil from new and I can see the proof by just looking at the exhaust tips, they are caked in soot.
So what about my Aurion V6 that once did 15.000km and used nothing of oil, if 1mm at max, I know for a fact as I am the only one who changes the oil etc.

So maybe it will save the Alloytec cat.

A lot of my Aurion 15.000kmh was highway work. But I look see the oil filter and agree she should of been changed before that KM.
Aurion V6 have small galleries I believe, so it pays to change not past 10.000km and no past 12 months I believe.
The Aurion has 5.3L of oil.

Now Car company's claim because they went from 4L of oil to 5L or maybe 6L that this extends the oil change life as well.

[mick taylor]

Originally Posted by Cav

Just a case of history repeating itself.

Japanese cars in the 60s were getting a similar reaction to the Chinese cars now.

They too were cheap and loaded with extras - heater and AM radio were free!

Were that that cheap, No the Jap cars were not cheap like the China cars of nowadays are.
Take a Toyota Crown in 1970 say and what is the Falcon of the same value ? Fairmont or Fairlane ?

A mate was ranting about how much better the crown was than his family Falcon of Kingswood was of the time, that he was blown away ! but I said bro the Crown was in the price class of a Statesman you fool. so no wonder you were blown away. Premiers and Fairmont's came with Heater std. and not to mention a V8 option so why would any real man want a 6cyl for anyway.
XY 302 V8 T Bar Fairmont vs a 1970 Toyota Crown, come now ! who would want rubbish like a Crown back in 1970 ? I was like you have to be kidding me, wake up to reality. I would not bother with the crown, I would not even want to drive rubbish like that. when you have an option to behind the wheel of a V8 Fairmont. around the same price.

[Cav]

Originally Posted by mick taylor

Were that that cheap, No the Jap cars were not cheap like the China cars of nowadays are.
Take a Toyota Crown in 1970 say and what is the Falcon of the same value ? Fairmont or Fairlane ?

A mate was ranting about how much better the crown was than his family Falcon of Kingswood was of the time, that he was blown away ! but I said bro the Crown was in the price class of a Statesman you fool. so no wonder you were blown away. Premiers and Fairmont's came with Heater std. and not to mention a V8 option so why would any real man want a 6cyl for anyway.
XY 302 V8 T Bar Fairmont vs a 1970 Toyota Crown, come now ! who would want rubbish like a Crown back in 1970 ? I was like you have to be kidding me, wake up to reality. I would not bother with the crown, I would not even want to drive rubbish like that. when you have an option to behind the wheel of a V8 Fairmont. around the same price.

I was probably referring to the Bluebirds and Corollas of the mid 60s

[kevino]

I had a 72 Valiant VH. Then a 72 Crown 2600. Then a 76 Valiant VK.
I drove company XC 302V8 Fairmonts.
The Crown was the more comfortable and better to drive.
The VK was very reliable and easy to fix.
I thought the XC was rubbish. I ,m 6'2 and sat on those low low bucket seats barely able to see the front of the bonnet. The handling and steering was floaty and soft. The 302 for its engine size didnt seem particuarly powerful.

The VK due to its reliability and easy to fix capability was best of the 4.

In fact the VK I would rate as the second best car I have ever owned.
The best car I have ever owned was a 2008 LT TDCI Focus. Torque to die for. Fuel economy. Ultra reliable. Did 278000 kms in that beast.

[hackney]

Originally Posted by kevino

I had a 72 Valiant VH. Then a 72 Crown 2600. Then a 76 Valiant VK.
I drove company XC 302V8 Fairmonts.
The Crown was the more comfortable and better to drive.
The VK was very reliable and easy to fix.
I thought the XC was rubbish. I ,m 6'2 and sat on those low low bucket seats barely able to see the front of the bonnet. The handling and steering was floaty and soft. The 302 for its engine size didnt seem particuarly powerful.

The VK due to its reliability and easy to fix capability was best of the 4.

In fact the VK I would rate as the second best car I have ever owned.
The best car I have ever owned was a 2008 LT TDCI Focus. Torque to die for. Fuel economy. Ultra reliable. Did 278000 kms in that beast.

What’s that got to do with the topic?

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by hackney

The only reason they are selling so well is their price point,nothing else.They are perceived as ‘good value’,which they are really not.Chinese have gone for the Jugular on pricing.

How do you know what other people consider to be 'value' though? It may not be good value for you given your criteria/preferences but that doesn't mean it isn't good value for others.

Always laugh when others make judgements against other people's assessment of 'value for money'.

[hackney]

Originally Posted by FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0

How do you know what other people consider to be 'value' though? It may not be good value for you given your criteria/preferences but that doesn't mean it isn't good value for others.

Always laugh when others make judgements against other people's assessment of 'value for money'.

Do you actually understand why they are priced so aggressively?Obviously not.It is all about gaining market share very quickly(which they have accomplished btw).That is why they are selling so well.They are perceived as good value from a pricing point of view.This type of marketing is not new to the Australian market.Ie:Hyundai 1986 $8,990.Very aggressive marketing & very successful.The early Xcels were just rubbish.I should imagine there will not be many Chinese manufactured vehicles on the roads in ten years that were purchased now.Whether you care to believe it,I really do not care.It is just the way it is.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by hackney

Do you actually understand why they are priced so aggressively?Obviously not.It is all about gaining market share very quickly(which they have accomplished btw).That is why they are selling so well.They are perceived as good value from a pricing point of view.This type of marketing up is not new to the Australian market.Ie:Hyundai 1986 $8,990.Very aggressive marketing & very successful.The early Xcels were just rubbish.I should imagine there will not be many Chinese manufactured vehicles on the roads in ten years that were purchased now.Whether you care to believe it,I really do not care.It is just the way it is.

I reckon European cars are the same, **** quality just the price tag is much more and they're treated as a status symbol, VW is a good one to look at.

How many Mercs/BMWs are absolute **** boxes after 5-10 years? Give em 10 years in our weather and they're toast and they're also uneconomical to repair outside of warranty periods.

Cars these days are disposable items, its just the Jap and later Korean stuff (exception of Kia K2700/K2900/Preggio, they're total POS) which can go the distance.

The Chinese business model could be make something to a price point and then replace it once it flogs out, they've got huge amounts of human capital that's cheap so they can still make money on stuff that costs SFA.