Cheap rip off cars

[KraftyPg]

Now that there is a Great Wall dealer 20 mins from my place I'm starting to see a few more getting around here. Still reckon they look like crap from the front but couldn't believe difference in height between the front and the back.

I haven't really noticed it on moving vehicles but the one I saw yesterday looked like it had a 3 inch lift on the back end but a 3 inch drop on the front (maybe a slight exaggeration) . I can't see too many serious bush bashers going for GW cheapies but seriously putting that sort of angle on a 4wd not only makes it look silly but fairly impractical as a 4wd.

Still just like SsangYongs people will still keep buying them no doubt.

 

[SOLID D22]

All utes in generall will be higher at the back to compensate for weight making it level if there is weight. But your right i seen one on the road and the first thing that came to mind was 'you cheap bastard' and the back end was high in comparison.

 

[KraftyPg]

The one I saw was parked in front of a Ford Laser and from the front it actually looked the rear bumper was sitting on the bonnet of the Laser. I can relate to the rear ending being higher but this thing looked ridiculous that's way I was actually hoping the owner had been silly and done it themself.

 

[Jason]

The price is attracting people, damn they're ugly though.

 

[KraftyPg]

The ads are annoying too!

 

[Jason]

There's also a new 4by coming (or here) called a 'Mahendi' or something similar, saw it advertised in the latest Overlander. Doesn't look quite as bad as the GWM but is still butt ugly.

I'm assuming by the name it is Indian?

Edit, ok wasn't even close on the name, it's a Mahindra http://www.caradvice.com.au/19308/2009-mahindra-pik-up-cabchassis/

 

[Jason]

Love this guys comment on the Mahindra Pik-Up

Stevo the Devo says:
December 2, 2008 at 11:31 am
The govt should introduce an ugly tax – say $50,000.

 

[Matt76]

I saw those Mahindra's in a comparo a little while ago, I think they faired not too bad for their price.

 

[Matt76]

Those great wall utes are everywhere on the roads now, they must be selling like hotcakes!

 

[Old.Tony]

They're much cheaper than our Navaras and the blighters are slipping the ads into these forums as well.

People don't always buy an item purely because that item is good. They very often make their choices based on price, and consider that the amount they saved is sufficient to offset the things they don't like about the cheaper item.

The global financial crisis didn't help there, either. Sure, the government's incentives helped a little, but the minds of most people would focus on how much they could get for their dollar.

There's a great shame in that. The greatest part of that shame will come when the cheap cars start to show their true worth after 12 months or so, when servicing/replacement costs go through the roof, or God forbid, people start dying in minor collisions because they've rusted away in the most important places.

 

[Jason]

Neither faired too well in the safety stakes, the airbags in the GWM cars don't work properly and a passenger seatbelt in one of the tests didn't even hold the dummy back from hitting the dash (it reeled out).

I reckon these trucks will have no resale value at all either.

The fact that they got in the country makes a bit of a farce of our ADR's and ANCAP. Unfortunately.

 

[Old.Tony]

You think it may be the result of payoffs, or the federal govt trying too hard to be part of what is the world's fastest growing economy?

Where's Mulder when you need him?

 

[Jason]

Well Rudd does love China LOL, and what was the secret meeting with the Chinese diplomat all about? Maybe it was all about the fast track importing of the GWM Ute ha ha ha.

I'm not into conspiracy theories, but sounds good enough for me

 

[SOLID D22]

So will these cheap utes make the navara's hold their value better or reverse that and make em drop big time in price?
I havn't seen too many on the roads around my place and being a tradie probably 60% of guys i know on the sites have utes and if its not a dual cab ute its a commodore ss or xr8 and theres no hope in hell that any of these tradies including myself will or would ever get the cheap ass crap.

 

[Jason]

It has to be a benefit for anyone owning a Nav I reckon.

 

[joshy]

i dont think theyll really have any effect on the nav, not for years. nav is 2nd highest selling ute by a decent percentage.

 

[SOLID D22]

I think when the STR's were first released and during there sales they sh*t all over the sr5 hilux's, problem is the hilux has so many varietys and choices and engines choices at the time so the end result was just adding up hilux's compared to navara's so thats what put toyota on top, but realisticly top of the range str out sold top of the range sr5.

When i bought my car thats what the sales rep told me.

 

[Jason]

Toyota must drop their pants for large fleet and Government buyers. I would love to see some sales figures with those buyers removed.

 

[KraftyPg]

Another reason Hilux's are selling so well is cashed up farmers. There is a large number of farmers in my area who buy new utes when the accountants tell them too but know little and care little about what vehicle they get.

I know about a dozen farmers who in the last 12-18 months have just walked into the local dealer said I want that and it has to have all these bits and I want it asap. Most of them just replace old with new because they don't care much as long as it has four wheels and drives across the paddock and like their fathers before them who drive Toyotas they will too, they are probably dealing with the same dealer their fathers did 30 years ago too.

Dealers must love it when people don't want to test drive or try and talk the price down because it makes their jobs so easy and down here it's happening all the time.

 

[felixblack]

i'd say the high sales are made up by those bought by the mines. my drive to work i'd have atleast 4 pass me all owned by mining companies and that is in the brisbane /sunny coast area only. plenty of privately owned dual cab STRs more then privately owned hilux's i'd say. I've only seen one navara decked out for the mines