Wouldn’t buy an electric car built in China ?
Discussion
Reading about problems in Chinese electric car industry seems quality of manufacturing an issue Then I see Polestar 2 which is made in China has already suffered problems with early models off the road and subject to recall.
Not a time to be an early adopter prefer they use someone else’s money
Not a time to be an early adopter prefer they use someone else’s money
Witchfinder said:
cc3 has a long history of railing against China. I have some sympathy - I think China has a reprehensible government and a shameful record on human rights. The guy's clearly got a colossal axe to grind though.
For those and other reasons, the last thing I’d ever buy would be a Chinese car. I spend as little as possible on Chinese products; other than the cheapest of tat it’s almost always possible to find better from elsewhere, albeit at a higher price, which suits me fine.REALIST123 said:
Witchfinder said:
cc3 has a long history of railing against China. I have some sympathy - I think China has a reprehensible government and a shameful record on human rights. The guy's clearly got a colossal axe to grind though.
For those and other reasons, the last thing I’d ever buy would be a Chinese car. I spend as little as possible on Chinese products; other than the cheapest of tat it’s almost always possible to find better from elsewhere, albeit at a higher price, which suits me fine.Every single piece of electronics on my desk at the moment was made in China, although only one of them carries a Chinese brand - two Macbooks, an Apple Keyboard, and Mouse, a Logitech Mouse, a random unbranded keyboard, a Dell monitor, an Iiyama monitor, a Lenovo monitor, a set of Creative Labs speakers, a Canon printer... all made in China. Avoiding Chinese manufactured things may be a laudable goal, but it's almost impossible to achieve these days.
Singling out cars seems rather pointless. In my experience Chinese cars are certainly nowhere near Japanese or Korean ones, but the ones they build for export are easily a match for mainstream American or European car in terms of build quality.
Singling out cars seems rather pointless. In my experience Chinese cars are certainly nowhere near Japanese or Korean ones, but the ones they build for export are easily a match for mainstream American or European car in terms of build quality.
Edited by kambites on Saturday 3rd October 22:49
MikeStroud said:
REALIST123 said:
Witchfinder said:
cc3 has a long history of railing against China. I have some sympathy - I think China has a reprehensible government and a shameful record on human rights. The guy's clearly got a colossal axe to grind though.
For those and other reasons, the last thing I’d ever buy would be a Chinese car. I spend as little as possible on Chinese products; other than the cheapest of tat it’s almost always possible to find better from elsewhere, albeit at a higher price, which suits me fine.Can be very difficult, especially with electronics, as even South Korean companies like LG/Samsung have historically manufactured products in China.
Clothing/shoes especially can cost a few £ more but are always better quality and longer lasting anyway so evens out in my experience.
kambites said:
Every single piece of electronics on my desk at the moment was made in China, although only one of them carries a Chinese brand - two Macbooks, an Apple Keyboard, and Mouse, a Logitech Mouse, a random unbranded keyboard, a Dell monitor, an Iiyama monitor, a Lenovo monitor, a set of Creative Labs speakers, a Canon printer... all made in China. Avoiding Chinese manufactured things may be a laudable goal, but it's almost impossible to achieve these days.
Singling out cars seems rather pointless. In my experience Chinese cars are certainly nowhere near Japanese or Korean ones, but the ones they build for export are easily a match for mainstream American or European car in terms of build quality.
It can be done with most things, just takes a bit of effort and research and as above will probably cost a few £ more.Singling out cars seems rather pointless. In my experience Chinese cars are certainly nowhere near Japanese or Korean ones, but the ones they build for export are easily a match for mainstream American or European car in terms of build quality.
Edited by kambites on Saturday 3rd October 22:49
Edited by SWoll on Saturday 3rd October 22:53
kambites said:
SWoll said:
It can be done with most things, just takes a bit of effort and research and as above will probably cost a few £ more.
I think at the time my employer bought it, my Laptop was the most expensive laptop available on the market and it was made in China. 
Like Apple's design and build but not their business practices so avoid for personal purchases.
Even if you buy a European car, most of the electronics and a fair bit of the other stuff will have been made in China.
Even things which say they're not made in China often are, in reality. I know of products which are completely built and tested in China, then disassembled, shipped to America and reassembled with a "made in the USA" badge on them.
Even things which say they're not made in China often are, in reality. I know of products which are completely built and tested in China, then disassembled, shipped to America and reassembled with a "made in the USA" badge on them.
Edited by kambites on Saturday 3rd October 23:12
kambites said:
Even if you buy a European car, most of the electronics and a fair bit of the other stuff will have been made in China.
Even things which say they're not made in China often are, in reality. I know of products which are completely built and tested in China, then disassembled, shipped to America and reassembled with a "made in the USA" badge on them.
Accept there's not a lot can be done about that but I try to make an effort wherever possible. All you can do really?Even things which say they're not made in China often are, in reality. I know of products which are completely built and tested in China, then disassembled, shipped to America and reassembled with a "made in the USA" badge on them.
Edited by kambites on Saturday 3rd October 23:12
I believe that in the past the key difference was whether the product was made in China for a Western company, with the West overseeing quality, or whether the product was made in China for/by a Chinese company, which is where the quality issues stem from.
Whether and to what extent the Chinese have caught up, or have a desire to, I don't know.
Whether and to what extent the Chinese have caught up, or have a desire to, I don't know.
On the other hand there are plenty of great Chinese built EVs, like the MG ZS EV and even Teslas.
It would be unusual for EVs not to have teething trouble, most of the models on sale now have had issues. Obviously Tesla's problems are well documented, but also every version of the Leaf has had problems, the Zoe used to be notorious for dying on its wheels, the iPace was I think recalled and has had many software and battery issues...
It's just normal for a new model with new technology. Many fossil cars are the same.
It would be unusual for EVs not to have teething trouble, most of the models on sale now have had issues. Obviously Tesla's problems are well documented, but also every version of the Leaf has had problems, the Zoe used to be notorious for dying on its wheels, the iPace was I think recalled and has had many software and battery issues...
It's just normal for a new model with new technology. Many fossil cars are the same.
would you avoid anything built in America, engineering standard and build quality on par with BL/Rover, an horrid history of funding overseas conflicts, responsible for destabilisation of may parts of the world leading to mass deaths, 1 way economic strategies, Donald trump, 70% of the funding for the IRA.
where do you stop your moral compass and how do you align it.
where do you stop your moral compass and how do you align it.
jason61c said:
where do you stop your moral compass and how do you align it.
I think that's a question everyone has to answer for themselves. Personally I feel that ostracising countries of dubious moral standards is probably going to make matters worse rather than better. I certainly can't take any sort of moral high ground - I'm not keen on the current Chinese or American administrations, yet I work for an American company on products which are manufactured in China.
Edited by kambites on Sunday 4th October 10:57
kambites said:
I think that's a question everyone has to answer for themselves. Personally I feel that ostracising countries of dubious moral standards is probably going to make matters worse rather than better.
I certainly can't take any sort of moral high ground - I'm not keen on the current Chinese or American administrations, yet I work for an American company on products which are manufactured in China.
Exactly, the narrow minded people who make posts about the PRC need to look in the mirror and ask themselves a few questions. I do wonder how people like the OP can be so narrow minded?I certainly can't take any sort of moral high ground - I'm not keen on the current Chinese or American administrations, yet I work for an American company on products which are manufactured in China.
Edited by kambites on Sunday 4th October 10:57
jason61c said:
kambites said:
I think that's a question everyone has to answer for themselves. Personally I feel that ostracising countries of dubious moral standards is probably going to make matters worse rather than better.
I certainly can't take any sort of moral high ground - I'm not keen on the current Chinese or American administrations, yet I work for an American company on products which are manufactured in China.
Exactly, the narrow minded people who make posts about the PRC need to look in the mirror and ask themselves a few questions. I certainly can't take any sort of moral high ground - I'm not keen on the current Chinese or American administrations, yet I work for an American company on products which are manufactured in China.
Edited by kambites on Sunday 4th October 10:57
Anyway, a topic for NP&E rather then the EV section I'd suggest?
Edited by SWoll on Sunday 4th October 11:35
SWoll said:
And perhaps others could do with reading more and then deciding whether the things they are comparing are truly worthy of such, or perhaps just a result of personal bias?]
Yup, definitely. I think most of the anti-Chinese bias isn't really based on any sort of understanding of the political situation there. For most people the political situation, as unpleasant as it is in many ways, is an excuse rather than a reason. I also agree that this doesn't really appear to have anything directly to do with EVs.
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