MG, Omoda, Jaecoo! Are they as bad as made out?
Discussion
As with everyone in this current climate, cash is tight. So been looking at alternative brands for the next family car. The MG HS & jaecoo j7 both look like a hell of a lot of car for the money. I hear horrible things about them, strangely tho not from people who actually own one or have even driven ones. So has anyone on here own one or driven one?
I get MG’s occasionally as hire cars.
In general they are pretty good if a bit ‘mid 2000’s’ in trim quality.
The only horrible bit is whatever they make their ‘leather’ out of doesn’t breathe and you get sweaty back driving it.
I often hear people complain about leather in cars & never understood why as I always found it to be nice, I guess I have been spoilt by quality cars. If the MG was my only experience of ‘leather’ I’d be avoid it too!
In general they are pretty good if a bit ‘mid 2000’s’ in trim quality.
The only horrible bit is whatever they make their ‘leather’ out of doesn’t breathe and you get sweaty back driving it.
I often hear people complain about leather in cars & never understood why as I always found it to be nice, I guess I have been spoilt by quality cars. If the MG was my only experience of ‘leather’ I’d be avoid it too!
My wife has an MG ZS. She likes it but then too her cars are white goods.....she views it the same way she would buying a washing machine or dishwasher. Viewed under that prism they are decent enough and very good value for money.
I find it OK to drive (not good and not bad) and has already been pointed out the switch gear and general trim feels a bit dated but to be honest unless you came from a premium brand or car built in the last couple of years you wouldn't notice that.
There is a certain lack of solidity when shutting the doors but again unless you come from a decent premium car you wouldn't notice it.
I was in Australia before Christmas and I was amazed at the number of Chinese cars I saw on the road, most of the brands I had never even heard of.
I have read that as ICE cars they are not as good as the Korean and European brands, but surely for EVs and the motors, batteries and electrics are made in China anyway?
It is pretty clear that just as Hyundai and Kia were seen as a joke when they first came out, Chinese cars are going to be good as anything made in Europe within 5 or 10 years.
I have read that as ICE cars they are not as good as the Korean and European brands, but surely for EVs and the motors, batteries and electrics are made in China anyway?
It is pretty clear that just as Hyundai and Kia were seen as a joke when they first came out, Chinese cars are going to be good as anything made in Europe within 5 or 10 years.
Didn't we see a couple of examples of MG's failing their first MOT's at 3 years old with some fundamental issues? (Steering rack UJ failure seems to ring a bell, but have heard about rust issues too).
Brand New vehicles covered by manufacturer warranty (assuming you have a 'local' dealer) will probably see you through the first 3 years without issue or risk, although I suspect you'd soon notice where the money has been saved (as you do in a Dacia)....but I'd not want to be the guinea pig for anything older.
Brand New vehicles covered by manufacturer warranty (assuming you have a 'local' dealer) will probably see you through the first 3 years without issue or risk, although I suspect you'd soon notice where the money has been saved (as you do in a Dacia)....but I'd not want to be the guinea pig for anything older.
MattyD803 said:
Didn't we see a couple of examples of MG's failing their first MOT's at 3 years old with some fundamental issues? (Steering rack UJ failure seems to ring a bell, but have heard about rust issues too).
Brand New vehicles covered by manufacturer warranty (assuming you have a 'local' dealer) will probably see you through the first 3 years without issue or risk, although I suspect you'd soon notice where the money has been saved (as you do in a Dacia)....but I'd not want to be the guinea pig for anything older.
Dacia is about the basics.Brand New vehicles covered by manufacturer warranty (assuming you have a 'local' dealer) will probably see you through the first 3 years without issue or risk, although I suspect you'd soon notice where the money has been saved (as you do in a Dacia)....but I'd not want to be the guinea pig for anything older.
If you want something more elegant, you move to Renault
MattyD803 said:
Didn't we see a couple of examples of MG's failing their first MOT's at 3 years old with some fundamental issues? (Steering rack UJ failure seems to ring a bell, but have heard about rust issues too).
Brand New vehicles covered by manufacturer warranty (assuming you have a 'local' dealer) will probably see you through the first 3 years without issue or risk, although I suspect you'd soon notice where the money has been saved (as you do in a Dacia)....but I'd not want to be the guinea pig for anything older.
Since 2019 MGs have had a 7 year warranty...Brand New vehicles covered by manufacturer warranty (assuming you have a 'local' dealer) will probably see you through the first 3 years without issue or risk, although I suspect you'd soon notice where the money has been saved (as you do in a Dacia)....but I'd not want to be the guinea pig for anything older.
Keep getting bombarded with emails from my local dealer about Jaecoo and it's '7' model.
Clearly they've taken the franchise on and the car doesn't seem overly offensive. Clearly a Chinese type interior with huge centre screen controlling everything and small instrument binacle but it was well loaded and a good deal cheaper than the equivalent Stellantis offering (that's the dealers main product).
I wouldn't want one as a long term proposition but as a standard 3 year PCP type affair, it would make sense to buyers who simply want a car and view ownership akin to owning a washing machine.
Clearly they've taken the franchise on and the car doesn't seem overly offensive. Clearly a Chinese type interior with huge centre screen controlling everything and small instrument binacle but it was well loaded and a good deal cheaper than the equivalent Stellantis offering (that's the dealers main product).
I wouldn't want one as a long term proposition but as a standard 3 year PCP type affair, it would make sense to buyers who simply want a car and view ownership akin to owning a washing machine.
BigsimonY said:
As with everyone in this current climate, cash is tight. So been looking at alternative brands for the next family car. The MG HS & jaecoo j7 both look like a hell of a lot of car for the money. I hear horrible things about them, strangely tho not from people who actually own one or have even driven ones. So has anyone on here own one or driven one?
My sister had the old HS. Pretty hateful thing. About 3x as a bad as a Duster for 20% more money. New one maybe a decent improvement. And I don't hate MG, I've got one.
Often get MGs as hire cars
The now previous shape HS which is bigger than the ZS is pretty decent, The 1.5 pulls along fine for its size and it’s fairly economical if you get the hybrid.
The ZS is also good, it got replaced with a whole new model 3 months ago and the new model drives a lot nicer although the old one wasn’t bad, but they have definitely improved the handling.
I like the now old shape ZS 1.5 with the auto box, it’s a torque converter and there’s something enjoyable about the simplicity.
The HS auto is a CVT; I am not sure what the new facelift ZS auto is, I haven’t tried one yet.
The new HS which came out in the past few months is nice to look at and well built interior, not had one yet but seen a few about.
The MG4 is under rated, plenty of poke and a nice place to sit.
I know the MG5 electric estates are well thought of in the taxi trade but I didn’t like it, a bit rigid and weird rear seat bench set up.
Finally not tried the new MG3 which is now a hybrid (the previous shape MG3 was well specked but had a horrid engine set up) but heard good things.
It’s meant to be a vast improvement over the previous MG3 which isn’t hard.
The now previous shape HS which is bigger than the ZS is pretty decent, The 1.5 pulls along fine for its size and it’s fairly economical if you get the hybrid.
The ZS is also good, it got replaced with a whole new model 3 months ago and the new model drives a lot nicer although the old one wasn’t bad, but they have definitely improved the handling.
I like the now old shape ZS 1.5 with the auto box, it’s a torque converter and there’s something enjoyable about the simplicity.
The HS auto is a CVT; I am not sure what the new facelift ZS auto is, I haven’t tried one yet.
The new HS which came out in the past few months is nice to look at and well built interior, not had one yet but seen a few about.
The MG4 is under rated, plenty of poke and a nice place to sit.
I know the MG5 electric estates are well thought of in the taxi trade but I didn’t like it, a bit rigid and weird rear seat bench set up.
Finally not tried the new MG3 which is now a hybrid (the previous shape MG3 was well specked but had a horrid engine set up) but heard good things.
It’s meant to be a vast improvement over the previous MG3 which isn’t hard.
I have had a pre-facelift MG5 for three and a half years and 29,000 miles. The only comments on its MoT were that both front tyres were approaching the limit. Reliability has been excellent. Build quality is OK; the biggest issue is that sometimes the drivers exterior door handle sticks.
I had an MG3 in the early days of Chinese MG. Didn't have it long enough to see if it rusted (although it did fail it's first MOT at 20k with shagged suspension bushes), but lots of electrical issues, poor after sales and parts backup.
Poor engine. It was like a k series in that you had to rev the nuts off it to make progress, but unlike one in that it didn't much like to be revved. Handled well and had good seats.
They may or may not be better now but for me personally..Never again. As for the others, they will just be the new identifiers of likely poor/inattentive drivers, so useful in that respect I guess.
The other thing, and perhaps contradictory although the MG was about 10k, is although brand new, I can't find the logic of financing a no name car for upwards of £30k when you could have something from a known quantity for that new/pre reg/1-3 years old. Then on top of that look at something like an Ora Cat/03 brand new, and then see how much a barely used one is on offer for!
Poor engine. It was like a k series in that you had to rev the nuts off it to make progress, but unlike one in that it didn't much like to be revved. Handled well and had good seats.
They may or may not be better now but for me personally..Never again. As for the others, they will just be the new identifiers of likely poor/inattentive drivers, so useful in that respect I guess.
The other thing, and perhaps contradictory although the MG was about 10k, is although brand new, I can't find the logic of financing a no name car for upwards of £30k when you could have something from a known quantity for that new/pre reg/1-3 years old. Then on top of that look at something like an Ora Cat/03 brand new, and then see how much a barely used one is on offer for!
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