Chinese Cars Coming to the UK... would you buy one?

[jbi]

Chinese cars have a very poor reputation here in the UK and other western countries, before they have even sold a single one here.

Thanks to terrible NCAP scores and the perceived quality gap in both design and engineering.

But look at this latest NCAP result.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPXiTNzlJ5A

This car is a geely EC7 and it is going on sale here in the UK starting at around £10,000

Would you consider it?

[kambites]

I take neither nationality nor NCAP results into account when buying a car; so if it was a good car, yes.

If that does appear here for 10k, I think it'll find a market.

[DanDC5]

Crash test wise there's certainly nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn't buy one because it'll be a dull boring white good. For £10k I'd buy a second hand 320d if I needed a family saloon that was safe and economical.

PH response - There's no test for what happens when a can of Red Bull is thrown at it. The crash test is useless.

[Codswallop]

I'd rather buy 10 1 grand Mx-5s

TBH, I can see how it may appeal to some people who feel a compulsive need to buy a new car, but if it was my money, I would rather have a pre-reg fiesta, cee'd etc if I needed something with a warranty.

[bluebear]

Its a lot of car for 10k !

[jbi]

bluebear said:

Its a lot of car for 10k !

That's what I was thinking...

Not sure what after sales support is going to be like... whether they will piggyback on someone else's dealership network, or if they are going to set up their own.

Either way I just can't think of anything that can compete with this thing on value for money.

[ajprice]

When they first get here I think they'll be seen in the same way as the first Protons, Kias or Hyundais. Then a similar growth to something like where those Malaysian and Korean cars are today. They might need a few coupe or hot hatch models to help them along the way though.

[Classic Grad 98]

If they're any good, and anything resembling a decent dealer network arrives with it, then yes I wouldn't rule them out. I don't 'want' one, but if it was the right car for my intended purpose at the right price then there's a chance I'd do it.

[Corpulent Tosser]

RWD ?

[kambites]

Corpulent Tosser said:

RWD ?

Nope, front (at least the engine is transverse, so I assume so).

[Bill]

jbi said:

Either way I just can't think of anything that can compete with this thing on value for money.

It depends whether you consider resale and depreciation. In three years there's a good chance that'll be worth tuppence.

[kambites]

Bill said:

It depends whether you consider resale and depreciation. In three years there's a good chance that'll be worth tuppence.

There's also a good chance it will thrash the competition on resale - Kias are hardly doing badly, at least as long as the warranty lasts (and lets face it, at 7 years old any car in this class is worth tuppence). It'll come down to what warranty they offer, I suspect.

[Bill]

And how good they are at honouring the warranty. Buying one in the first year or two will be a huge gamble.

[kambites]

Bill said:

And how good they are at honouring the warranty. Buying one in the first year or two will be a huge gamble.

I doubt they can possibly be worse to deal with than the competing European brands, to be honest.

[Corpulent Tosser]

kambites said:

Corpulent Tosser said:

RWD ?

Nope, front (at least the engine is transverse, so I assume so).

Rear wheel was still spinning after the head on crashs, front had stopped. That was why I thought RWD.

[kambites]

Corpulent Tosser said:

Rear wheel was still spinning after the head on crashs, front had stopped. That was why I thought RWD.

I think that's always happens in frontal impacts - the rears pivot off the ground before they stop moving forward so they're left spinning in the air.

[Bill]

kambites said:

I doubt they can possibly be worse to deal with than the competing European brands, to be honest.

In which case it'll come down to how often you have to visit the dealer. They may well turn out to be as good as the Koreans but it's not something I'd bet on yet.

[Corpulent Tosser]

kambites said:

I think that's always happens in frontal impacts - the rears pivot off the ground before they stop moving forward so they're left spinning in the air.

Ah, that explains it. Ta.

[kambites]

Bill said:

In which case it'll come down to how often you have to visit the dealer. They may well turn out to be as good as the Koreans but it's not something I'd bet on yet.

Oh I don't think they'll be as good as the Koreans. The question to my mind is whether they're as good as the French.

[kambites]

The Crack Fox said:

... the Chinese don't buy much of our stuff..

Is that not because it's largely over-priced rubbish?