So... what car do you guys drive when not flying?

[tgh]

Byd 7 year warranty..

You cannot be that naive…..
What kind of "real" product support do you think all these multitudes of fast track Chinese products actually have ?
What kind of parts availability ?
How many Chinese cars are in holding yards waiting for the most simple panels or parts ?
I opine that Benz now has a poor reputation for reliability and is living on past glories .. to be fair there were many , it was a great company.
Like you I have owned nothing but European cars ( my first love was a pug 403) but I intend to stay with the ship, even as the sea builds….
I will probably buy something new in the next year or so , have considered a Polestar 3 but decided the glitz doesn't suit me...

 

[TheRealTMA]

Byd 7 year warranty..

You cannot be that naive…..
What kind of "real" product support do you think all these multitudes of fast track Chinese products actually have ?
What kind of parts availability ?
How many Chinese cars are in holding yards waiting for the most simple panels or parts ?
I opine that Benz now has a poor reputation for reliability and is living on past glories .. to be fair there were many , it was a great company.
Like you I have owned nothing but European cars ( my first love was a pug 403) but I intend to stay with the ship, even as the sea builds….
I will probably buy something new in the next year or so , have considered a Polestar 3 but decided the glitz doesn't suit me...

Started with a 203 mate, then two 403s, 404 etc. But 6-8 weeks for injection seal for Mercedes plus outrageous pricing says a lot about availability. For our Fiat 128 we bought clutch cables from Italy and kept one in boot. Availability of Chinese parts should be much better and can be delivered by Chinese task force off Tasmania.

Europeans have been dragged screaming and kicking to provide decent warranty, whereas Asian vehicles went to 7 years plus quite a while ago.

Yes considered polestar but just a retrofit design whereas Chinese vehicles are new designs. Had a BYD etto for 10 days over Xmas. Not bad but not my style. The seal looks interesting and only $50k, whereas the Mercedes ev are in the $100-150k mark.

Be comforted, would never buy an Elon machine.

Besides, not sure have the right hat for the Volvo.

 

[tgh]

Why should they be supported if they choose to become second-rate?

This line of argument works better leaning on a bar...
We currently own two Europeans , a 10y old XC60 that remains characteristically faultless and has only had routine servicing , pads and a battery.
My Touareg is rising 8, has had a battery, pads AND 3abs sensors.. the first oem sensor was 15min away @$220, the next two came from Amazon ex US and about $20aud each iirc…

..and toTrTma's last reply… Do check the repair situation before dancing with the devil…
What happens if someone bumps it on day one.. how long will a panel take to arrive ?

 

[prozac]

Why should they be supported if they choose to become second-rate?

This line of argument works better leaning on a bar...
We currently own two Europeans , a 10y old XC60 that remains characteristically faultless and has only had routine servicing , pads and a battery.
My Touareg is rising 8, has had a battery, pads AND 3abs sensors.. the first oem sensor was 15min away @$220, the next two came from Amazon ex US and about $20aud each iirc…

..and toTrTma's last reply… Do check the repair situation before dancing with the devil…
What happens if someone bumps it on day one.. how long will a panel take to arrive ?

EV technology changing so quickly these days so to does the body design. I would not be wanting to buy a panel or other simple part for a Chinese EV in 5yrs time. Value rapidly plumbing nothing in no time flat.

 

[Quickstatus]

What kind of "real" product support do you think all these multitudes of fast track Chinese products actually have ?

Same as any other car. They are all imported.
I've had to wait a month for a VW radiator.

I have not heard BYDs having difficulty with repairs in the forums that I check

 

[TheRealTMA]

..and toTrTma's last reply… Do check the repair situation before dancing with the devil…
What happens if someone bumps it on day one.. how long will a panel take to arrive ?

No, not dealing with the devil, Elon, so dont believe that’s a problem, besides, so cheap you just buy a new one!

 

[tgh]

Saw a very swish looking BYD in Dubai t'other day , parked among the Bmw's and other euro's it looked ok.
But then again I had just stepped out of an Emirates stretched 7…..

 

[Brissy1]

Have had European all my life, Peugeot, Alfa, Fiat, Mercedes but one does pay through the nose for service and repairs. They are quoting, in 6-8 weeks, around $1500 to replace fuel injector seals on a 4 yo car with 24k on the clock. We missed the 5 y warranty by 12 months so only 3 y for us. Annual service around $1200-$2k. Byd 7 year warranty and annual service around $180-$300.

That's very bad luck, a seal replacement after only 24k km. Obviously a manufacturing fault that took 4 years to deteriorated to the point of leaking; usually lasts the life of a car. Mercedes have had recalls.

I also have a B out of warranty, 50k km, only issue is wheel sensor gone a few times, don't use merc dealership anymore so ½ the price.

 

[dairyfloss]

Same as any other car. They are all imported.
I've had to wait a month for a VW radiator.

I have not heard BYDs having difficulty with repairs in the forums that I check

One of my best mates bought a BYD Seal and has had multiple issues with his BYD and also their service options in Sydney. I reckon BYD owners just don’t admit they have problems. Initial delivery after a long wait was a disappointment, with scratches and chips which the authorised dealer ‘fixed’ with what looked like Liquid Paper. On servicing, he’s had some software issues, and outside of over the air updates, servicing is apparently done for the most part at K-Mart Tyre & Auto (or whatever name they go by now), and they have no real idea what they are doing; they just plug in to diagnostics and hope for the best. Issue with that is that the OBD / service port on his Seal was faulty, and so they just told him they couldn’t help! (I believe it ended up going on a flat bed somewhere in the south of the city to be looked at). A number of questions remain unanswered for him. He’s unlikely to do anything about it, especially after the money spent setting up for home solar for this, his first EV, but I can tell he regrets moving on from the performance ICE euros he left behind.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Quickstatus]

I reckon BYD owners just don’t admit they have problems.

That just sounds like a lemon issue which has been a feature of cars since they were invented and occurs irrespective of whether there is a repair network . We have all heard of the lemon stories.

However BYD has the most quality complaints in China even taking into account its relative size. So owners are not necessarily taking it on the chin

My experience?. Land Cruiser first iteration V8 would consume oil at a regular 1-1.5L/1000. Toyota said it's normal but please book in at 5000km to get oil top up. The fix was expensive - but as it didn't hit 2L/1000km I didn't qualify. As least I could still drive it.

But it is separate to a perceived parts issue.

I would not get a Polestar. Most appear to be purchased by Splend who use it for Rideshare. A minority bought by private owners. Also appear to have ongoing software issues affecting drivability.

 

[Cossie]

Bought new t-roc in Sept, had factory tow bar fitted, sorry no wiring loom at the moment, should be able to have it by Christmas.
Still waiting, unknown time frame, was told one for another model VW took 9 months to arrive....

 

[Quickstatus]

Bought new t-roc

Otherwise what do you think?

 

[Cossie]

Otherwise what do you think?

So far, very good, it has plenty of go, plenty of room for us 2. Indicators on wrong side, which is a pain when I drive the RS!
It is all wheel drive, but not really suitable to go extreme offroading.
The lane warning system is much better than any other car I have driven with that feature.
Overall, quite pleased.

 

[tgh]

I would not get a Polestar

You are already an Elon supporter so the statement is likely true..
P3 is currently the only ev suv with air suspension, which is why it was considered.

Pretty ordinary service with the wiring loom Cossie.. can you source one aftermarket from a European supplier ?
TrTm's injector seal is almost certainly made by an outside of Mb source and so likely available through a specialist au injector service...

 

[Cossie]

Pretty ordinary service with the wiring loom Cossie.. can you source one aftermarket from a European supplier ?

Quite possibly, I will ask around next week, just a bit concerned that new cars depend so much on their computers, I have to make sure it is 100% compatible.

 

[prozac]

Bought new t-roc in Sept, had factory tow bar fitted, sorry no wiring loom at the moment, should be able to have it by Christmas.
Still waiting, unknown time frame, was told one for another model VW took 9 months to arrive....

Possibly quicker buying the loom from a supplier like westfalia-automotive.com

 

[dairyfloss]

That just sounds like a lemon issue which has been a feature of cars since they were invented and occurs irrespective of whether there is a repair network . We have all heard of the lemon stories.

However BYD has the most quality complaints in China even taking into account its relative size. So owners are not necessarily taking it on the chin

My experience?. Land Cruiser first iteration V8 would consume oil at a regular 1-1.5L/1000. Toyota said it's normal but please book in at 5000km to get oil top up. The fix was expensive - but as it didn't hit 2L/1000km I didn't qualify. As least I could still drive it.

But it is separate to a perceived parts issue.

I would not get a Polestar. Most appear to be purchased by Splend who use it for Rideshare. A minority bought by private owners. Also appear to have ongoing software issues affecting drivability.

Could be a lemon, that's true, but the fact the servicing agent couldn't help with checking or replacing the physical OBD port is not very comforting.
(p.s. I still chuckle when I see the extended brand name on the back of an [older] BYD; it's just so cheesy )

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[tgh]

The towing loom integrates with the cars management system, altering engine and transmission profile as well as disabling some driving features.
To that end , I guess you are stuck with genuine as aftermarket might void warranty….

 

[prozac]

The towing loom integrates with the cars management system, altering engine and transmission profile as well as disabling some driving features.
To that end , I guess you are stuck with genuine as aftermarket might void warranty….

From various UK Troc forums it would appear Westfalia are suppliers of original equipment, but do your own research.

 

[kookaburra75]

One of my best mates bought a BYD Seal and has had multiple issues with his BYD and also their service options in Sydney. I reckon BYD owners just don’t admit they have problems. Initial delivery after a long wait was a disappointment, with scratches and chips which the authorised dealer ‘fixed’ with what looked like Liquid Paper. On servicing, he’s had some software issues, and outside of over the air updates, servicing is apparently done for the most part at K-Mart Tyre & Auto (or whatever name they go by now), and they have no real idea what they are doing; they just plug in to diagnostics and hope for the best. Issue with that is that the OBD / service port on his Seal was faulty, and so they just told him they couldn’t help! (I believe it ended up going on a flat bed somewhere in the south of the city to be looked at). A number of questions remain unanswered for him. He’s unlikely to do anything about it, especially after the money spent setting up for home solar for this, his first EV, but I can tell he regrets moving on from the performance ICE euros he left behind.

Cheers,
Matt.

It's an interesting issue. I've driven BYD Atto3s a few times when I've hired them from Sixt, in city and country traffic and more than happy in the way they drive. I have been keeping an eye on their pricing and quality as I'm thinking of retiring my BMW530i which is now 23 years old and age related niggles are starting to crop up. We have a large BYD dealership in Canberra, so the new models are available. But I'm thinking of waiting another 12+ months when I retire and look at picking one up second hand as they come off the corporate leases, and still in warranty. If the resale prices nose dive, that's good for me.

What is interesting me, is the Vehicle to Home/Grid charging units. We have solar panels but no battery yet, but if I can set up car to charge up during the day and then draw on it overnight, that's a win-win for me.

In the meanwhile, we have MrsK's Honda Jazz to buzz around in, so there's no mad rush to do anything..