Talking to yourself again?
- Thread starter Liberator
- Start date
Chinese automobiles in DR - Run away or good alternative?
I mean no disrespect and hope that your car lasts fine for a very long time (and that everything with maintenance/warranty works out), but as you say that you purchased it last March, you've now only had it for 10 months, so if any vehicle would break down after 10 months of use, I would consider that very bad quality. I know nothing of Chinese cars so I could well be wrong. We've only ever had either EU or US based vehicles.
A couple of years ago I noticed how Dominicans in general and especially youtubers were against on Chinese cars and SUVs. Loads of vids criticizing the brands and quality of cars and how dealers were negligent on parts. This case in particular was very controversial: a customer bought a new Changan SUV and had to wait 9 months for parts. He insisted a lot sharing his story on the news that the Changan dealer (Tropicars) couldn't deal with the pressure and returned him the money back.
A year later, it's the opposite, loads of influencers talking about this and other chinese brands. Seems the chinos are spending loads of money on PR and marketing lately.
A year later, it's the opposite, loads of influencers talking about this and other chinese brands. Seems the chinos are spending loads of money on PR and marketing lately.
Arguing with myself at times. Sometimes I ignore myself too
In my post I mentioned the model, an MG One and I bought it at British Motors in Santo Domingo. The list price was U$35,995 but I paid U$32,000 for it.
Yup, but then again many car manufacturers build cars, or parts for cars in China such as BMW, Ford, Mazda, Honda, Mitsubishi, GM, Tesla, Renault, Nissan, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Toyota. Granted, they probably build to a higher standard expected by these brands than some of the Chinese brands, but I still would not knock the quality of my MG in comparison to many other international brands
MG is no longer a British company. It's Chinese. Very sad for us British car people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_Motor
- Tata: Owns Jaguar and Land Rover. In 2013, Jaguar Cars and Land Rover merged to form Jaguar Land Rover. (different to that owned by Ford)
- BMW: Owns Mini and Rolls-Royce.
- Volkswagen Group: Owns Bentley.
- Ford Motor Company: Owns Jaguar and Aston Martin.
- Geely: Owns Lotus. Geely is also behind Volvo, Lynk & Co, and Zeekr.
The face of motorcycle production is also changing constantly. Harley’s, a true American icon, are made in Asia now. Royal Enfields, a British icon, are now in India. Nortons are still made in the UK but very expensive.
Automobile production even more. Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi are combining forces and use part suppliers from different country’s. Welcome to the world of the global village vehicles.
Your MG EV looks interesting but I still prefer the traditional two seater convertible. Would love to have one to cruise the DR country roads. Fairly dependable, simple to maintain vehicles. I’ve restored a few over the years.
Automobile production even more. Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi are combining forces and use part suppliers from different country’s. Welcome to the world of the global village vehicles.
Your MG EV looks interesting but I still prefer the traditional two seater convertible. Would love to have one to cruise the DR country roads. Fairly dependable, simple to maintain vehicles. I’ve restored a few over the years.
It is hard to keep them all straight as the brands are sold.
Ford currently has no interest in Jaguar....Jaguar is owned, as you point out, by Tata Motors.
Aston Martin is currently privately held by a billionaire Canadian, numerous pension funds, a Saudi wealth fund and Geely.
Note that Aston Martin also has an interest in Lucid the EV manufacturer.
It seems only the Japanese and Koreans have avoided outside country alliances.....and even they have felt the pressure.....Toyota is working with Subaru and Nissan is looking to be acquired by Honda.
Given the movements globally by more well established manufacturers, it seems fair to speculate that not all of the almost 100 Chinese domestic auto manufacturers will be around at the ed of the decade.
And as they disappear so too will their service and warranties and then their resale value. The trick then in buying Chinese automobiles is to guess which ones will survive and be around into the future.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
Not quite. Harleys are still made in the US:
Harley-Davidson motorcycles are primarily manufactured in the United States, with their main production facilities located in:
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin: This is where Harley-Davidson was founded and where they have a significant manufacturing presence, including the assembly of motorcycles at the Menomonee Falls plant.
- York, Pennsylvania: Known for producing the steel frames and many of the components for Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
- Tomahawk, Wisconsin: This facility is involved in the production of parts like wheels.
Additionally, Harley-Davidson has expanded its manufacturing to other countries:
- Brazil: Manaus is home to a production facility for the Brazilian market.
- India: There's a manufacturing plant in Bawal, Haryana, which produces models specifically for the Indian market.
Harley-Davidson also assembles some models in Thailand for the Asian market.
These locations cater to both local markets and international distribution, aiming to optimize logistics and reduce costs while maintaining quality control. Remember, this information could change with new business strategies or global economic conditions, so for the most current details, one might want to check Harley-Davidson's official statements or recent news.
Honda and Nissan are merging. They are also closing factories in China as they can't compete with cheaper Chinese brands flooding the market after foreign companies basically taught the Chinese assembly line fabrication. And they copy western car designs.
If you think opening a business was a good idea in China just take the lesson of car manufacturers or cellphone makers to heart. The technology will be stolen and used to drive your business out. Ideas and patents mean nothing there - KFC, or Starbucks Pizza Hut or Disneyland other examples of companies that the Chinese copied. At least they renamed KFC to OFC 'Obama Fried Chicken'. (not a joke)
The Chinese are even creating copies of western cities like Paris, London and Jackson Hole. That's hutzpah !
Of course they will probably call London, 'Rondon'.
China may well be on the same route like Japan and Korea; decades ago these cars were considered copies and inferior quality and now they often surpass their western counterparts in quality and durability. Whether you like it or not the Chinese are catching up.