I got ready and jumped!
- Thread starter Palo Verde
- Start date
I just read the MG warranty and it seems pretty standard, 12 months on wear items, 36 months on body and paint, 7 years on everything else.
The usual caveats on servicing intervals, not racing or rallying it etc, but nothing sinister.
As to a Chinese MG being absurd, we live in a world of Chinese Whirlpool fridges, Chinese Hills hoists, Chinese Victa mowers, what was Australia's only TV manufacturer, Palsonic, now made in China, I could go on.
Western brands manufacturing in China (or elsewhere like Bangladesh ...) is not the same as a Chinese car manufacturer buying a defunct Western brand that it has no connection with and then sticking the badge on the front of it. Borgward at least had a family connection when creating it's Chinese made SUV range. MG is as absurd as it would be for some Chinese truck maker to buy the Panhard brand and then pass trucks as Panhards.
It’s only a badge I would also point out that MG china has made many more MGs than the original did so who is the real MG. Sainsburys automotives son now owns a MG dealer in orange I would never buy one but they do what’s on the tin.
Interestingly in SAIC's first 5 years of making MG branded cars they had a factory at Longbridge in the UK, MG's current headquarters and design studio is located in London.
The UK is on a short list for a new MG factory.
Was the MGF a "real MG", the company was soley owned by BMW when they started making those?
At the end of the day, MG seem to be doing the right thing by their consumers. They have the highest dealer satisfaction rating in Aus, note what brands aren't even in the top 10.
The attached video is from last year, but the company has only gone upwards since then.
His final comments on the MG3 are what I found with the J1 Chery, you can see why they are cheap, but the more upmarket models are/were made to a higher standard.
One of my SILs is a mechanic and works for a multi franchise dealer, did his MG technical training a couple of years ago, and is actually quite impressed with the brand.
I have zero plans on buying an MG either, but they are selling for a reason. Historically in Aus, just being cheap hasn't been a recipe for success: Skoda, Niki, Mahindra, Lada, Daewoo, Chery etc. The new Chery Omoda in Aus is already copping flak because it is "comparably priced with the competition", not because it's bad, but because it's a "Chery".
As to a previous comment "that it's all the Chinese in Aus buying them".
For some reason on my wife's Facebook feed all the new MG buyers keep popping up being photographed at the dealerships with the big red bow on the bonnet of their car and being handed the keys. They are almost without exception young white females and a smattering of young white males.Don't shoot the messenger.
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After being some who’s has had a European car bias most of my life, my daily driver is a KIA stinger, which I bought after selling my 2020 Pug 508GT sedan. I still have my 2015 Pug GT 2.2 diesel as i think it a far better long trip car (think Melbourne to Esperance etc.) than the later 2020 model.
Most cars these days are pretty damn good,particularly when I think back to my first few cars back in the ‘80’s! (exclusively second hand ‘70’s tech models
).
The KIA is a real surprise! Better built than my last Pug, and better appointed. Yes as a euro snob I’ve had to ‘pull my head in’ a bit
I needed to make a warranty claim and KIA actually over delivered
I think I’d still be arguing the point with the Peugeot dealer. 
I don’t have any great fondness for Asian cars, even though I’ve owned a few. The interior styling just never really worked for me. BUT this is just personal stuff and doesn’t really matter…
In my 40-odd years of driving, I’ve had over 50-cars, holdens, fords, Renaults, Peugeots, fiats, Subaru, MG, Audi, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen and others… The most disasterous car runnig-cost wise was the Audi. Thought I’d buy a German car to see what all the fuss was about…engine and gearbox failed in first 100,000km, along with many other bits like keyless proximity censor, keyless door mechanisms and I changed coil packs like underwear
It was a brilliant car to drive though…just not to own.
I hope I haven’t offended anyone, not my aim, and as I say, IMO most new cars these days are pretty damn good…
Most cars these days are pretty damn good,particularly when I think back to my first few cars back in the ‘80’s! (exclusively second hand ‘70’s tech models
).The KIA is a real surprise! Better built than my last Pug, and better appointed. Yes as a euro snob I’ve had to ‘pull my head in’ a bit
I needed to make a warranty claim and KIA actually over delivered
I think I’d still be arguing the point with the Peugeot dealer. I don’t have any great fondness for Asian cars, even though I’ve owned a few. The interior styling just never really worked for me. BUT this is just personal stuff and doesn’t really matter…
In my 40-odd years of driving, I’ve had over 50-cars, holdens, fords, Renaults, Peugeots, fiats, Subaru, MG, Audi, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen and others… The most disasterous car runnig-cost wise was the Audi. Thought I’d buy a German car to see what all the fuss was about…engine and gearbox failed in first 100,000km, along with many other bits like keyless proximity censor, keyless door mechanisms and I changed coil packs like underwear
It was a brilliant car to drive though…just not to own.I hope I haven’t offended anyone, not my aim, and as I say, IMO most new cars these days are pretty damn good…
according to Motor and Wheels USA and as recent as March this year
'Performance is another stronghold of European cars, it is a sort of birthright for them.
This is so, thanks to the unrelenting efforts of European automakers. European cars are more often than not, fitted and equipped with very powerful standard and optional engines that give them outstanding performance.
European cars are more powerful than their Japanese counterparts because it is a kind of trademark for some European car brands. Their cars are popular for their high performance, they are solidly crafted to impress on the road.
European car brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volvo, only to mention a few, are esteemed for their powerful engines and rapid acceleration.
Overall, Japanese cars do not stand a chance against European cars when it all boils down to quality and performance.'
'Performance is another stronghold of European cars, it is a sort of birthright for them.
This is so, thanks to the unrelenting efforts of European automakers. European cars are more often than not, fitted and equipped with very powerful standard and optional engines that give them outstanding performance.
European cars are more powerful than their Japanese counterparts because it is a kind of trademark for some European car brands. Their cars are popular for their high performance, they are solidly crafted to impress on the road.
European car brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volvo, only to mention a few, are esteemed for their powerful engines and rapid acceleration.
Overall, Japanese cars do not stand a chance against European cars when it all boils down to quality and performance.'
Especially the diesels.
remember the days when you had to negotiate to get air con and electric windows? and let's not forget CD player is an option!
Bloody hell even map was a $1000 option when I got my 208 just 9 years back That's how backwards cars were just shy of 10 years ago but the 208 was ahead of its time - it has no CD already in 2014 instead wireless bluetooth streaming and the Japanese base models were still behind in streaming music in car in 2014 , the Japanses base models in 2014 also do not have a separate screen yet the Europeans were already doing it left right and centre in 2014
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My wife wanted one because it was easier to get in and out of, compered to the late model VW Golf that we had.
the difficult to get in and out cars actually helps you keep fit - also if your thighs touches the steering wheel when it is at the lowest setting, the fitness is just not there.
I did not find any surveys but I actually talked to Japanese people when I was in Tokyo years ago...I asked real-live Japanese I meet in Tokyo whether they prefer a German car or a Japanese car and no one did not pick German, even the girls.
This is a better gauge than statistics as you get real people talking to you.
and this was purely a preference thing - no technical knowledge of cars from people I spoke with.
I was surprised, even my host Hitoshi Asagawa also told me he prefers a German car when he earns enough money.
So I gathered they pick Japanese cars for economic reasons not because they are passionate about it. For economic reasons is not the same as passion.
I might like sirloin tips but KFC will do does that mean KFC is actually my thang? hell no.
as they say, statistics are like underwear, it's what they are hiding is what you need to know ( and see ).
Hence my title:
About the refinement of Asian diesels I can bring some anecdotic evidence. My brother has a luxo barge Hyundai overseas (EU) and I've been in it quite a few times for long trips. I can say it is silent, comfortable and performs very well. Well apointed with leather and seat warming/cooling and so on, all the modern gizmos and stuff I don't care about. My brother is a cheapskate but he likes his comfort so I would say if anything better were available for the price, he would have it. Not sure if EU models are the same as ours, so don't know if I am comparing apples to apples but it seems Asian cars can satisfy picky customers if they want to.
I definitely agree that germa cars can be great to drive but ultimately expensive to run. I'm sure I've posted this before but my 2015 Audi A4 Quattro wagon 2ltr tfsi is a very capable, smooth, quiet high speed cruiser, even on the 19" wheels. More than enough power when combined with the dsg can get off the line very quickly.
I bought it used at less than half what it cost new only after 3 years. I came loaded with tech that is not standard today.
But, to date a headlight ballast was replaced under warranty ($1200). The dual mass flywheel was replaced at 80,000. My cost, $2000 ish.
Airbag control unit, $3000.
Coolant expansion tank, that was only $120!
Transmission service, $800
Etc etc. So yeah, not cheap.
I bought it used at less than half what it cost new only after 3 years. I came loaded with tech that is not standard today.
But, to date a headlight ballast was replaced under warranty ($1200). The dual mass flywheel was replaced at 80,000. My cost, $2000 ish.
Airbag control unit, $3000.
Coolant expansion tank, that was only $120!
Transmission service, $800
Etc etc. So yeah, not cheap.
And you think Peugeot service is cheap? And you think Peugeot parts don't need to be replaced for no reason members may recall I replaced a non moving whatchamightcallit part in my 208 to do with coolant looks newish on after 5 years 1000 dollars plus labour and I take care of my 208 always premium fuel always log book service still the French are not that forgiving, let alone the Germans
Like I said already for Asian cars you need to go top of the line to get basics whereas in Euro one need not go top of the line to get power and nice necessities if you choose basic or middle variants in Japanese cars you get shit entry- things may have changed now as euro makers are putting in more and more at entry level so the Japanese must evolve or lose
Yeah my MB and BMW experiences have been "variable". If I couldn't do all my own repairs they would have been an expensive proposition for someone that couldn't.
I've had several secondhand Toyotas over the past 30 years, all with 200,000 plus kms on them when I bought them. a few Corollas, a Cressida, a Starlet, an Echo.
These cars all remained in the family for years being bounced around between myself and my 4 daughters. I did all the servicing on them, and the ONLY repairs needed between the whole lot of them (other than standard service items) was a LH rear wheel bearing ($90) and a coil pack ($70), both on the Echo. The Starlet is still an ongoing proposition as my eldest grandchild now drives it.
If you look at the recalls on many of the new cars a lot of them are for all the electronic crap that isn't even a necessity (unless you're a terrible driver).
Other than the bits required to get you where you're going, the only "luxuries" I care about are AC and a heater, most of my vehicles don't even have a radio.
Anything else is just more shit to go wrong.
That is the dumbest thing I’ve read on here for a while
I am not sure my brother's car is top of the line being a diesel and all but I am sure individual temperature control on seats is not basic.