[gshaw]

They will - the relaunch of MG in the UK always was going to be a slow process, with no instant range to launch. Didn't quite think it would be quite this slow to be honest, but as I found out when I spoke to the chaps at LB a few weeks back, it takes a long time and a lot of work to re-engineer a Chinese spec car to UK spec.

No, its not as simple as most people seem to think and is one reason it took so long to get the MG6 over here - not to mention the work required at LB to assemble it.

I dare say they could do it quicker - import the Chinese ones directly, but that wouldn't exactly go down very well, would it

Says it all really, the whole Europe strategy is based on making a silk purse out of a sow's ear using cars that really shouldn't see the light of day outside the Chinese market. Explains the naff styling and interior quite well too. Surely easier to build a quality car and scale down than take a poor one and build upwards?!

British design... I don't think so, regardless of who did a few pen swishes in the studio these cars are Chinese when it comes down to it... at least Geely are being honest about the ones they're bringing over...

 

[MGJohn]

PCPs.

In the same way that folks buy cars at ZERO interest. Time and again listening mainly to work colleagues buying a new car at full list price at ZERO FINANCE or NO VAT can be very much more costly in the longer run.

There really is no such thing as a free handout where car sales are concerned. Once or twice I explained that there are better and more economical ways to buy and finance a new car. Stoney ground and all that.

Mind you, the last time I bought a new car a very attractive finance officer ~ OK she was young enough to be my grand daughter ~ literally chased me around the showroom explaining it was wasteful to pay cash. Her finance 'plan' was far more costly than the one I arranged for myself. I used to only occasionally read ALL the print, including the very small stuff before signing on the dotted...

You should ALWAYS do the same and before signing on the dotted, work out carefully exactly what the full impact that payment package really does to your wallet.

Mind you, if everybody did that then fewer cars would get sold and finance houses would have to earn a profit instead of merely taking it. Actually, in the longer term ( what's that then ) that would be of real benefit to the individual and the Nation as a whole.

It will have to come to that because failure to do so is quite simply ... failure.
.

 

[BLMC]

Says it all really, the whole Europe strategy is based on making a silk purse out of a sow's ear using cars that really shouldn't see the light of day outside the Chinese market. Explains the naff styling and interior quite well too. Surely easier to build a quality car and scale down than take a poor one and build upwards?!

British design... I don't think so, regardless of who did a few pen swishes in the studio these cars are Chinese when it comes down to it... at least Geely are being honest about the ones they're bringing over...

You don't half spin some guff.

 

[SteveChilds]

I agree it will take a lot of time. Which is one of the reasons why the MG6 residuals are going to be lower than one might expect if they'd been a big sales success.

"Assembling" them at Longbridge does not seem to have helped sales, so they might as well just ship them from China complete. Which is what's going to happen with the 3 and 5 anyway from what I can gather.

Thanks for the negative rep feedback by the way.

eh? News to me, I didn't leave you -ve rep?

As for the 3 & 5, my sources tell me they're both destined for Longbridge.

Believe me, if the Chinese MG6 had simply been launched over here, the press would not have been very impressed with it at all.

 

[SteveChilds]

Says it all really, the whole Europe strategy is based on making a silk purse out of a sow's ear using cars that really shouldn't see the light of day outside the Chinese market. Explains the naff styling and interior quite well too. Surely easier to build a quality car and scale down than take a poor one and build upwards?!

British design... I don't think so, regardless of who did a few pen swishes in the studio these cars are Chinese when it comes down to it... at least Geely are being honest about the ones they're bringing over...

What are you talking about?

'Silk purse out of a sow's ear' - the MG6 is no sow's ear. Sure, it may not be perfect, but its a competent car in its own right. Naff styling? Your opinion, many will say it looks great. Yes some bits of the interior could be better, but over all its not too bad at all.

The MG6 is not a 'poor car' as you say. Yes the car is fundamentally a 'Chinese' car, it was designed ultimately for the Chinese market and then adapted for other markets. Odd how it was never a problem how the Zeds were fundamentally a UK car and adapted for other markets. You need to get your head around the fact that the Chinese market is their primary market. Yes I'd like it to be the UK, but fact is, Chinese market is far larger than the UK one.

At least the car was designed and Engineered in Birmingham, better than no UK content at all. Note, I never said it was a British design....

 

[SteveChilds]

You don't half spin some guff.

Damn, I want a like button for posts like that.

 

[FanBoi3]

eh? News to me, I didn't leave you -ve rep?

As for the 3 & 5, my sources tell me they're both destined for Longbridge.

Believe me, if the Chinese MG6 had simply been launched over here, the press would not have been very impressed with it at all.

Actually, the press did drive a Chinese spec MG6 and were impressed with the caveat that some areas needed improvement but in the main, it's the same car and the press comments were not unfavourable. The time required to transition from the Chinese spec to UK spec is as much to do with the suspension as anything else, apart from meeting specific UK legal requirements and minor trim differences. The suspension is down to local demands for comfort on poor road surfaces as opposed to our demand for more sporting set-ups.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/250645/mg6.html
http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/FirstDrives/MG-Motor-MG6-1.8-GT-TCI-S/247188/

 

[simcor]

Damn, I want a like button for posts like that.

Get onto it then man, we need a like button :rofl:

Simon

 

[Windy]

Damn, I want a like button for posts like that.

An emoticon for it would be more use!

 

[SteveChilds]

Actually, the press did drive a Chinese spec MG6 and were impressed with the caveat that some areas needed improvement but in the main, it's the same car and the press comments were not unfavourable. The time required to transition from the Chinese spec to UK spec is as much to do with the suspension as anything else, apart from meeting specific UK legal requirements and minor trim differences. The suspension is down to local demands for comfort on poor road surfaces as opposed to our demand for more sporting set-ups.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/250645/mg6.html
http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/FirstDrives/MG-Motor-MG6-1.8-GT-TCI-S/247188/

I recall they drove it, but there were more changes than just the suspension, I chatted to one of the engineers at the MG6 launch about it.

I'd imagine they weren't unfavourable to fair, especially if they came at it from the view point that it was a Chinese spec & built car, back then the reputation for Chinese cars wasn't exactly fantastic. But then none of the Chinese designed cars had been designed & developed by UK engineers to European standards.

 

[PatrickT]

A question. Is ''down under'' in deep financial excrement like some nations I could mention or, going along quite nicely?
.

We're doing rather well over here. All of our banks have posted records profits for the past three years and our dollar now regular trades at a higher price than the US dollar. Our national flag carrier airline even made a half billion dollar profit last year. Ah the good life... I think perhaps today we shall buy some small foreign nation... perhaps the UK?

 

[PatrickT]

On a question of PCPs, residuals and the inevitable cost of ownership per year...

I'm 36 and I have only ever bought one car. It's now 16 years old. I really don't care that I now have a 16 year old car - it's not uncommon in my middle class neighbourhood because Australians generally aren't flashy with cash.

It cost AUD$29,000 new and is now worth about $1500.

That's an annual cost of ownership of just $1720 - or about 1000 pounds on current exchange rates.

How many of you PCP, new car every two years types pay a mere 1000 quid a year in repayments?

 

[BLMC]

I'm 36

For some reason I had you down as 50+





Sorry.

 

[Windy]

I bet that doubled what its worth

I'm not sure what you mean by "worth" but as you think that I should have bought a new car instead, I have to point out that to buy a new production car with similar quality components would cost considerably more than twice my cars purchase price when new! So in your view, maybe it quadrupled it's worth?

However, for you to have made that comment, you must have failed to understand!

 

[MGJohn]

Anyone who watched Robert Peston's show on BBC2 at 7pm Sunday night would surely not have failed to get the BIG message ... trying to consume our way out of debt is NOT the answer.

The really bad news is that ALL of us are going to have to prepare and make some really big adjustments to our lives if we are to get the huge imbalance of the nation's finances to a level which will be sustainable, both long and short term.

The rude awakening has arrived at last apparently although not everybody has got the message yet. Matter of time for them.

Only thing that puzzles me is that it has taken a decade or three for those who can make a diffence to these things to come to this obvious conclusion only recently.

The bluddy writing was on the wall and elsewhere years ago.

Still, always look on the bright side. I really enjoyed the snooker which followed Peston's presentation of the Nation's financial situation.

Lets hope it all goes away ...
.

 

[forehead]

Boy oh boy have you got that lot wrong FH. Very sad to read that if that is how you see all these things.

I will only respond to one of your statements.

Those that value showing off ( or much more likely, demonstrating added debt ) have also got their values completely wrong. True natural class cannot be bought.

Everyone has an opinion that doesnt necessarily make anyone wrong.

As we've said before a mature gentleman ahem like yourself is from a generation that saved up and bought what he wanted when he'd got the money.

I have always worked on the principle if I can afford it I can have it. If I waited to buy things I wanted I'd never get them.

Do you really think all the 61 plate cars out there are bought and paid for? I seriously doubt it. I would estimate that probably more than half are on a credit agreement of some kind.

If those residuals are that poor that's 50% you've lost straight away who would or could have bought one on 'tick'

 

[forehead]

Says it all really, the whole Europe strategy is based on making a silk purse out of a sow's ear using cars that really shouldn't see the light of day outside the Chinese market. Explains the naff styling and interior quite well too. Surely easier to build a quality car and scale down than take a poor one and build upwards?!

British design... I don't think so, regardless of who did a few pen swishes in the studio these cars are Chinese when it comes down to it... at least Geely are being honest about the ones they're bringing over...

A very valid point especially considering all the hype about the cars being designed and engineered here.

The truth and probably more valid is that the cars are designed on a budget by SAIC for the Chinese market then reengineered here by the MG Motor Company to make that budget car more palatable here. Cheap interiors dodgy switch gear nasty suspension all takes time to bring up the European standards.

Think about it SAIC builds the cars then MG Motor Company or Nanjing Automotive as they were called finishes them off and sells them here.

 

[forehead]

I'm not sure what you mean by "worth" but as you think that I should have bought a new car instead, I have to point out that to buy a new production car with similar quality components would cost considerably more than twice my cars purchase price when new! So in your view, maybe it quadrupled it's worth?

However, for you to have made that comment, you must have failed to understand!

Worth hmm given I am seeing 53 and 54 plate ZS for £1500-1800 and a set of decent Billys shocks and springs I assume are going to cost say £600 it's probably added 50% so doubling was a little unfair

Worth and value are 2 different ideas. A treasured classic may be worth a fortune to the owner but it's only worth bottom book in a Glass's guide when it comes to trade in or is stolen.

 

[FanBoi3]

A very valid point especially considering all the hype about the cars being designed and engineered here.

The truth and probably more valid is that the cars are designed on a budget by SAIC for the Chinese market then reengineered here by the MG Motor Company to make that budget car more palatable here. Cheap interiors dodgy switch gear nasty suspension all takes time to bring up the European standards.

Think about it SAIC builds the cars then MG Motor Company or Nanjing Automotive as they were called finishes them off and sells them here.

You have proof, or are you just speculating? Have you actually seen a Chinese spec Roewe or MG? If you have, fine. Are you not also forgetting that SAIC build VW cars under a JV and that the majority of the staff working on the Roewe and MG models are actually employed by SAIC and have been since before the collapse in 2005. It's about time the UK got their collective heads out of the sand and realised Johnny Foreigner has moved on significantly in technology and manufacturing and that the Chinese can produce quality if the price is right, but as usual, the UK buy on price so cheapest wins every time reinforcing the old stereo-type that Chinese is junk.

I disagree with Steve Childs, too, as the major changes for the UK market reflect the driving styles, conditions and tastes, and that developing the cars takes time to sort these matters out rather than a case of upping the quality levels significantly. The focus group feedback resulted in changes like getting rid of the gloss piano black trim on the interior, and putting the indicators in the mirrors, along with hoods around the dials, in addition to extensive testing to develop engine maps to suit our legislation and fuels and changes to the suspension.

 

[littlechicken]

Everyone has an opinion that doesnt necessarily make anyone wrong.

As we've said before a mature gentleman ahem like yourself is from a generation that saved up and bought what he wanted when he'd got the money.

I have always worked on the principle if I can afford it I can have it. If I waited to buy things I wanted I'd never get them.

Do you really think all the 61 plate cars out there are bought and paid for? I seriously doubt it. I would estimate that probably more than half are on a credit agreement of some kind.

If those residuals are that poor that's 50% you've lost straight away who would or could have bought one on 'tick'

I think that you are confusing residual values and what a finance company deem to be a future annual value.



I work in financial services and I can assure you we are in business to make money.When I underwrite a risk I looke at key factors :-

• Previous history is this good or bad - the MG6 has none so you are extra cautious, and always expect it to be bad
• Has I have no history I can compare it against other risks and how they perform, I then charge a higher rate in case my predictions are wrong.

The Focus has a proven track record so is a safer bet for a finance company than an MG6 currently is, so they will set the value lower in case they get it wrong.

Their are better ways to finance a car than PCPs,low rate personal loans are a better option and as the evidence supplied the market expect the residuals, what you get for the car after 3 years to be no worse than average.

BTW on a seperate note and not car related, I note you have a link to cluster migrane headache website, a friend of mine suffers from these, he used to be poorly for weeks at time in great pain.