Geely Autos: Good Cars Or Chinese Tosh?

[Wilko220]

Does anyone know what happen with LTI (or whatever the taxi people were called)?

 

I heard that Geely supplied them with a steering box from China as it was cheaper than the UK item but it failed after a few weeks cabbing, put lots of taxis off the road and fucked the company's reputation so that it went under.

 

If that's true, then I'd be avoiding that thing on principle, and on quality concerns.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-23956370

[Jim Bergerac]

Geely were meant to start importing here a couple of years back, but so far that is yet to materialise so I wouldn't get too excited about them.

 

As for the Proton Preve, god knows what will happen there. Proton have said it is coming soon for the past year so you have to wonder if they are bothering. That said, this dealer (who also sells MG OMGPUNISHMENTGLUTTON): http://www.michaeledwardsgroup.co.uk/new-proton-preve-wigan has more details than the Proton site (including prices) but also says coming soon.

[KruJoe]

That Proton Exora MPV thing has been on sale in parts of Asia for a few years already, and has never looked fresh. It looks like they haven't updated it from what I've seen, so I don't reckon it'll set the market alight here. The technology's probably 10 years old anyway, it just won't cut the mustard. Or is twelve-and-a-half grand start price mega cheap for something like this?

[Jim Bergerac]

On the surface, yes. That said, if you look beyond list prices you can get a 63-registered old shape Zafira for £10,000 (list £18,000) as dealers are desperately trying to clear out stocks of them.

[garethj]

I have no direct experience, therefore I will be a motoring journalist and tell you my uninformed, slightly crass opinion.

 

If they can offer a diesel engine with low g/km rating for cheap road tax, and a long warranty, all they have to do is wait for the public to start buying the cars.  It might take 10 years, but it'll happen.

 

If they make a dashboard with "soft touch plastics" the motoring press will cream themselves and they'll only need to wait 5 years.  That means this generation of cars won't be bought in large numbers, but they need to hang on and punt a few to pensioners / lease companies.  Then they'll launch the next generation of cars and it'll be smooth sailing.

 

How the dashboard feels (a part you never touch) is about as relevant as Nurburgring lap times (a track you never drive on), yet that's how cars are judged.

[Rocket88]

 

Does anyone know what happen with LTI (or whatever the taxi people were called)?

 

I heard that Geely supplied them with a steering box from China as it was cheaper than the UK item but it failed after a few weeks cabbing, put lots of taxis off the road and fucked the company's reputation so that it went under.

 

If that's true, then I'd be avoiding that thing on principle, and on quality concerns.

 

 

 

 

This, [which I suspect was deliberate,] and the shocking quality of their scooters / motorbikes would be enough to have me running to a Dacia dealership

[Negative Creep]

I have no direct experience, therefore I will be a motoring journalist and tell you my uninformed, slightly crass opinion.

 

If they can offer a diesel engine with low g/km rating for cheap road tax, and a long warranty, all they have to do is wait for the public to start buying the cars.  It might take 10 years, but it'll happen.

 

If they make a dashboard with "soft touch plastics" the motoring press will cream themselves and they'll only need to wait 5 years.  That means this generation of cars won't be bought in large numbers, but they need to hang on and punt a few to pensioners / lease companies.  Then they'll launch the next generation of cars and it'll be smooth sailing.

 

How the dashboard feels (a part you never touch) is about as relevant as Nurburgring lap times (a track you never drive on), yet that's how cars are judged.

 

 

Never understood the motoring press' circle jerk about soft touch plastics. My 120y had them and I don't think that was a premium product