Suv ?? Ssangyong??

gringosabroso

New member
Oct 16, 2004
494
8
0
72
I am in the market for a near new [2005 - 2009] SUV. While searching, I am across a Korean car company, named SSangYong. It seems not to be a major brand in the DR, but they are available. My questions:
* After 12 years in the DR, I don't know anyone who owns or has owned a SsangYong. Can anybody help me? If you have owned a SsangYong SUV, preferably a diesel, for 3 - 5 - 7 years, can you share with me your experiences. Cost of fuel & maintenance? Availability of parts? Over all satisfaction? Performance? Compared to X, Y, &/or Z brand SUVs?
* I'm looking for an SUV with a diesel engine; they seem plentiful. Your experiences with ? brand & model? Positive? Negative? Would you buy ? again? Why not?
* I'm looking for my SUV with a manual [mechanico] transmission;l in this country, as opposed to Europe, this is like searching for Dominican dinosaur eggs! Frustrating! Suggestions?
Thank you for your time & patience.
* Robert: food for thought: is it worth setting up a separate poasting board for 'cars, trucks, & SUVs'? Enough interest? Food for thought. Thank you
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
The ones that i know about ( a couple of friends bought them) were pleased as punch with them. The engines are Mercedes diesels..

Most diesel SUVs are Toyotas or Mitsubishi Monteros; Then come the Nissans...

Mechanical transmissions are very scarce, and truth be said, there is not that much need for them except if you are off roading a lot....

HB
 

gamana

New member
Apr 24, 2006
225
2
0
i know Mitsubishi offers stick shift on their pickup models, not sure for their SUV line.

Autobrittanica in SD has good old Landrover Defenders (only stick shift).
 

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
2,940
390
83
www.hispanosuizainvest.com
I wanted one, now, I wouldn't touch it.

My opinion it's a typical case of forgitaboutit.
Four years ago one could see Ssang Yong Rexton jeepetas all over the place in urban areas (DR)... not many seem to have survived, one hardly ever gets to see one on the street anymore. And keep in mind, people here tend to keep vehicles until the last screw fall off.
Mercedes engines? Well, kind'a. The engineering (development) was (partially) MB and some used some MB parts. But it's not a standard MB engine even when the cubic denominations seem to match... just go try to have your Ssang Yong serviced at an official MB dealership.
Not unlike BMW's diesel cars, they quickly have fatal issues with "high" water (which is not un-typical around here)... meaning they suck in water too easily... the engine gets totaled. I know of four cases in Santo Domingo CITY that went that way... and I am here only 17 months... so it's not like I know a lot of people.

The Rexton looks kewl... some other models are rather odd.

... J-D.
 

liam1

Bronze
Jun 9, 2004
843
30
28
if you want manual you might be interested in Mitsubishi Montero LIMITED additions, they have automatic, as well as tiptronic transmissions, so you can chose whether you want to shift the car of just put it in "D" and let the automatic transmission do it for you.
 

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
3,479
731
113
I too would stay away from Ssang Yong. However if you're after a Korean vehicle I would recommend the Hyundai Santa Fe. It's a good looking jepeta with 2.5 turbo diesel engine and extra seats in the back as an occasional seven seater. If you bought a new one they come with a three year guarantee.

I almost bought one, but I found it hard to justify the purchase price of a brand new car. That's why I bought a 2004 Landcruiser Prado 3.0TD. I traded in my Toyota Highlander for it, as it's fuel consumption was killing me. For a little less money you could also look at a Toyota 4 Runner. Similar bulletproof mechanicals as the landcruiser and the TD is very frugal on fuel compared to the petrol models. Toyota probably has the best spares back up in this country. And I think they make the best diesel motors, slightly agricultural, but hey, a million Australian farmers can't be wrong!

Honda although great cars, don't do diesels. It then leaves you with Nissan, Mitsubishi or Isuzu, but I don't think they match Toyota on quality.IMHO
 

americanized

New member
Nov 17, 2004
39
0
0
??

I am also interested in a 2005-2006 Rexton, and so I am doing research about it too. It's a excellent value for the money, luxury, amenities, price, so it seems. I also believe Toyota and some other japanese vahicles are better quality, but they come at a huge price diference, US$10,000 or more for same year (diesel). I see opinions here are based on what's popular and accepted in the DR, and nothing concrete about owning a Rexton real-world experience.
 

Rocky

Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Apr 4, 2002
13,993
208
0
111
www.rockysbar.com
Bad buy, terrible investment.

I am also interested in a 2005-2006 Rexton, and so I am doing research about it too. It's a excellent value for the money, luxury, amenities, price, so it seems. I also believe Toyota and some other japanese vahicles are better quality, but they come at a huge price diference, US$10,000 or more for same year (diesel). I see opinions here are based on what's popular and accepted in the DR, and nothing concrete about owning a Rexton real-world experience.
Perhaps that is because true customer reviews are virtually non existent.
I searched high and low and couldn't find anything of any substance.
Why there are no reviews, I can't say, but it sure makes it difficult to have any product confidence.
We all know that buying a new brand of vehicle is tantamount to being a guinea pig, and rarely (if ever) does it bear good results.
We also know that folks who own less popular cars, like Chevy's, Fords, Peugeot, Fiat, etc, complain about parts accessibility.
Imagine owning a vehicle that is rarer than a Ferrari in this country.
What are you going to do when you need a part to make it go, take the bus for a month while you import it?
As if that wasn't enough, the company is actually a Chinese company, and despite manufacturing those SUVs in Korea, one still inherits the Chinese business philosophy of not giving a damn about future customer service.
Do you all remember the first Hondas, Hyundais and Ladas that came on the market?
Total pieces of junk and a terrible investment.
Why would Ssanyong be any different?
 

gringosabroso

New member
Oct 16, 2004
494
8
0
72
Resources! Car researdh; SSangYong

Thank you for all of your constructive suggestions; I'm grateful.

* I trying to research SSSangYong, I Googgled the brand name & found 3 very useful web sites:
* www.whatcar.com; www.edmunds.com; www.fifthgear.five.tv/index.htm.

* 2 are British; Edmunds is American. The British sites are most useful; many casrs sold in the DR are not sold in the USA, but are sold in the UK, etc. All sites are in English.

* WhatCar is, in my opinion, the most useful. It allows owners to post car reviews, positive, negative, or mixed. There seems to be little, if any censorship. Brits seem to tkae their cars very seriously?

* WhatCar has reams of info on SsangYong! Mixed reviews, to be charitable on the Rexton. Also, much info on Skoda, a minor brand in the DR, but very popular in the UK.

* Good hunting!
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,829
329
0
79
www.casabush.org
Thank you for all of your constructive suggestions; I'm grateful.

* 2 are British; Edmunds is American. The British sites are most useful; many casrs sold in the DR are not sold in the USA, but are sold in the UK, etc. All sites are in English.

:cheeky:;) Well if you are having difficulty understanding the English Gringosabroso, let me know & I'll translate them into American for you!! :cheeky::ermm:;)

For quick starters
Boot = Trunk
Bonnet = Hood
gears = automatic thingies ;):bunny::bunny::ermm: ~ Grahame.
 

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
3,479
731
113
:cheeky:;) Well if you are having difficulty understanding the English Gringosabroso, let me know & I'll translate them into American for you!! :cheeky::ermm:;)

For quick starters
Boot = Trunk
Bonnet = Hood
gears = automatic thingies ;):bunny::bunny::ermm: ~ Grahame.


And don't forget that UK and US mpg figures aren't the same. A US gallon is 4/5 of an imperial one. So multiply or divide your figure by 1.25 to get the one you want.

(I think I managed to convince someone that a UK mile was longer than a US mile once!)......it confirmed the blonde theory:laugh:

Fender = Wing
Motor = Engine
Gas = Petrol
Sedan = Saloon
Station wagon = Estate
Windshield = Windscreen
Handling = Something unheard of in American cars.