Took a Great Wall for a test drive

[Gonewalkabouts]

Interesting!

http://youtu.be/PKA0y5CZcAc

My preference is for a Toyota Hilux, it's even better when the vehicle is supplied by work with a fuel card for personal use also thrown in.....

[Mitcon]

Well folks I've owned a Great Wall ute for a year and a half now almost and am very happy with it, has done everything I've asked of it or pointed it at. You will find alot of peoples opinions on them that have never driven one and I'd hardly call them a "Soft Roader" as they do have low range. No they aren't a Patrol or LC they are a Ute etc, totally different vehicles.

For those that are interested in Great Wall owners opinions try Google for Great Wall Owners forum, lots of folks there with info and opinions from a owners point of view and alot do off road driving. My ute only gets driven for off-road fun, touring/camping and wildlife rescue, I have a different car for my daily driver. Anyways, I've taken mine places that I needed to recover Toyotas and Patrols so can't bee too bad. That said it's normally more about the driver than the vehicle most of the time but thats a different topic.

No they aren't built the same as a $50k-$75k 4WD but they have a place in the market and can do about the same as other vehicles of the same type. They are a little under powered, certainly by current standards of what most of us are used to. But I think they are value for money when you take a closer look at them, if they suit your purose/need. Yep I'm bias lol, I own one and love it. I've done decent touring trips and some off roading that some folks just wouldn't even think about putting their vehicle through, I've got a thread on this forum on mine.

No they wont please or suit everyone, but they certainly are not the vehicle alot of people try to make them sound. Sad to see and hear so much hear-say and 2nd hand opinions without a great deal of fact. If they suit your needs and budget I think they are certainly worth researching and considering taking for a test drive. They do most everything fine and tick most boxes, they will tow a load but not very quickly. I still take my camper up into the hills etc and the GW does a ok job, just not a speed demon but I wouldn't want a huge caravan behind me lol.

Here's a couple of pics









Oh maybe when they say they mean it's a Soft Roader they mean driving on something soft lol..This bogpit was very soft hehehe

[schmik]

They got old technology and then produced it in the cheapest manner possible. So... it's a mitsubishi engine design made from melted beer cans.
Exhaust... rice tin.
Belts... old chewing gum.
Fabric... excessive body hair.

[speewa158]

So what didnt you like about it really ?

[areyonga]

Good one Mitcon, Its good to see you are having a good run and getting out of it what you want.  Its unfortunate that there are so many uneducated armchair critics that have mostly not driven or owner the car they criticize, and I thought this was the country to give every thing a fair go.  I cant see myself buying one because I need much more grunt for what I want to do but it seems to suit your lifestyle well.  All the best and it will be great to see where you take it in the future.

[Mitcon]

Good one Mitcon, Its good to see you are having a good run and getting out of it what you want.  Its unfortunate that there are so many uneducated armchair critics that have mostly not driven or owner the car they criticize, and I thought this was the country to give every thing a fair go.  I cant see myself buying one because I need much more grunt for what I want to do but it seems to suit your lifestyle well.  All the best and it will be great to see where you take it in the future.

Thanks for the good wishes and kind remarks, we look forward to many adventures with it. Already done the Vic High Country twice and the west side of Tassie once, man I just love Tassie. Really looking forward to going back there again, it's just a beautiful place and lots of good camping and 4WDing.

[Heiny]

Good one Mitcon, Its good to see you are having a good run and getting out of it what you want.  Its unfortunate that there are so many uneducated armchair critics that have mostly not driven or owner the car they criticize, and I thought this was the country to give every thing a fair go.  I cant see myself buying one because I need much more grunt for what I want to do but it seems to suit your lifestyle well.  All the best and it will be great to see where you take it in the future.

X2  well said

[Aaron Schubert]

It will be interesting to see how these go. I predict they will dominate a major portion of the market within 5 - 10 years

Aaron

[AKB]

Good one Mitcon, Its good to see you are having a good run and getting out of it what you want.  Its unfortunate that there are so many uneducated armchair critics that have mostly not driven or owner the car they criticize, and I thought this was the country to give every thing a fair go.  I cant see myself buying one because I need much more grunt for what I want to do but it seems to suit your lifestyle well.  All the best and it will be great to see where you take it in the future.

X 3

[toeball]

Nissan Navara and Toyota Hilux made in Thailand, VW Amarok made in Argentina, they are selling a premium badge but made in a 3rd world country, atleast the GW's are honest, I still don't want one.....

[schmik]

I purchased a power supply for an old MAC off evil bay this week. Next Byte did not have them in stock and i didn't want to wait.
The chinese power supply was 1/3 the cost of the apple one. They were both made in china.

As soon as i plugged it in... I started doing 240V break dance moves. I could feel the alternating current. Luckily the house fuse blew.
Luckily my hand was not burned that badly. Luckily i plugged it in... not one of the kids.

Where matters of your life are at state DO NOT BUY CHEAP CHINESE CRAP. 

Of course the 'ever ethical' ebay seller is doing everything possible to not give me a refund.

It's just not worth the risk.

Be safe.

mike

[shrek4]

Where matters of your life are at state DO NOT BUY CHEAP CHINESE CRAP. 

It's just not worth the risk.

Wow that's a long bow to draw there Mike. So you had a bad experience with a Chinese power supply, yet you acknowledge the genuine Apple one is also Chinese made. What's the difference (possibly little in terms of $$ to make) I bet it's in the quality control. Arguing you had one issue with a Chinese product so therefore you write ALL of them off (including cars in this thread) is preposterous. Good luck shopping for non "Made in China" goods mate.

[Mitcon]

I purchased a power supply for an old MAC off evil bay this week. Next Byte did not have them in stock and i didn't want to wait.
The chinese power supply was 1/3 the cost of the apple one. They were both made in china.

As soon as i plugged it in... I started doing 240V break dance moves. I could feel the alternating current. Luckily the house fuse blew.
Luckily my hand was not burned that badly. Luckily i plugged it in... not one of the kids.

Where matters of your life are at state DO NOT BUY CHEAP CHINESE CRAP. 

Of course the 'ever ethical' ebay seller is doing everything possible to not give me a refund.

It's just not worth the risk.

Be safe.

mike

Not everything out of China is crap and besides all sorts of hospital/medical gear that saves your life or keeps you alive is made in China. But if your refering to Chinese/GW vehicles they have similar safety ratings to current vehicles of the same types, and have met or exxceeded Australia safety rules and ADR's.  But it is very good to hear your ok.

[D4D]

I purchased a power supply for an old MAC off evil bay this week.

There's your problem, you should have bought a pc

[shrek4]

have met or exxceeded Australia safety rules and ADR's.  

That's the point really isn't it. We have standards and design rules for a reason. Buying stuff on ebay is a gamble. How do you know if the stuff does meet the standards? And even they say the meet the standards - how do you know they're not making it up?

[tonyw]

I bought a cheap chinese GPS the other day and programmed it to take me from my house to Healesville race track, as my wife wanted to go to the market there. I let it direct us with me doing exactly what it told me to do. A little over an hour after leaving home and a few slow downs your over the speed limit, the voice piped up and said you are at your destination, i was right at the gates of the racecourse, it got it right 100%.

Yep cheap chinese rubbish that done its job 100%, oh whats that? most major brands of GPS are also made in China?, yeah i know, as are most components we use in every day living, so build a bridge and get over it because your going to have to get used to it sooner than later.

The GW is about to take another leap forward with a diesel donk and an auto tranny ( no auto for the ute just yet though) and a redesined front end thats not so smugly. I have no opinion on them other than i have my eyes open to see what they come up with next. I believe they will eventually have a huge slice of the market.

When i was a kid people used to say dont buy Japanese rubbish, now i guess its the Chinese turn.

[schmik]

I wasn't clear enough. The focus was on CHEAP.

China CAN make high quality goods. Most companies (from all countries) ask the chinese to make it CHEAP.

It's built to a price NOT a specification.

And don't even get me started about the lack of choice in the big shops... you have 5 CHEAP cd players to chose from...  each one worse that the last!
The greed has gone too far!

I have been hurt by a cheap Daewoo in the past and countless other pieces of faeces that were built on the cheap.
My fear is that great fall fits into this. Chinese are not magicians. They do not have some secret to making QUALITY goods cheap.
95% of the time you do actually get what you pay for.

FWIW, i do buy chinese products. If i really don't care that it will break then chinese is ok. But if i need to rely in it or if safety is concerned... then i will buy the best i can afford.

mike

[UIZ733]

It is so good to see somebody enjoy their purchase (extraordinary value for money also) and prove the be-grudgers to be so myopic. Well done!! The new (Haval H5?) may just be about to make topic even more interesting.
Regards P (not a Great Wall owner Or Nissan Or Toyota OR Mitsubishi etc etc)

[morgue]

The second hand market for the Great Wall will be a big test for it, saw one the other day in the local has done 10k on the clock 4x4, 2010 model, cab chasis set up, wanted $13500, Redbook has the same model $26000 on road new with $14000 as commercial trade in, private starts at $18000.
 So by all accounts, the Great Wall with low K's, bloody good pick up on the second hand market, until their reputation picks up.

I've spoken to a few mates in the game, so to speak, for the top end, Toyota and Nissan 4x4 have the reputation, the rest are picking up the crumbs so to speak, Toyota has the runs on the board, the second hand market loves them with low K's, for they get a good mark up.
Checked up with a couple of mates in the crash game, one has had a Great Wall in, it fell over and hurt itself, he was impressed solid build with the simplicity, a bang here, straighten up there and the thing, bit of patch, spalsh of paint was back on the road. It reminded him of the subaru brumby 4x4 ute..(shame they still don't sell them here still...personal view...)
 
By all reports, he would buy a Great Wall if he has a spare 26k, but he picked up a 80 series with low k's (100K), diesel, bars, steps, and winch and at a bloody good price..(would'nt tell me the price..secret) .so it was a lay down...
 



 

[Mitcon]

It'll certainly be interesting to see how the small 2L diesel donk goes. From the reports so far it's surprising and would almost certainly be a improvement over the 2.4 petrol, still I don't think we'll see those for sale here untill Sep or so. I doubt we'll see the auto in the utes either, I reckon they'll just be in the wagon to start with.

And 2nd hand they are even better value because of the fairly low resale on them still. I've seen them for sale with canopies and bullabrs already fitted with 2 years warranty still for like $17k, thats pretty cheap for whats still pretty much a new 4WD. They already have a place in the market and will develop a bigger share over the next few years I'm sure but I don't think they will dominate anything. Trols and Roll-lux's will still be secure in their market I reckon, though with some luck vehicles like the Great Walls may help sake up the higher end of the market a little.

If that does end up being the case we're all winners because as nice as Toyotas are they are very costly, wouldn't hurt to see them become more competitive in the market.

I myself am not worried about the folks that don't like Great Walls, we're all entitled to our own opinions and preffered brands...No real right or wrong there as long as people buy what suits their needs more so than just because of a price. Thats when people get let down by a vehicle the most, when we make a poor choice and buy what we want rather than what we need. But the down side to folks with the 2nd hand info thats not based on fact is it comes across as fear-mongering, better to be constructive with criticism and give it in a positive manner so as to better arm people with real knowledge as to help them make better infomred choices.

[tonyw]

I have 28months (hey but whos counting?) before i upgrade my car and prepare for life more on the road than not.

Heres a bit of a list i have at the moment that i am doing homework on, just looking not buying at this point.

Land Rover Defender: Grew up driving series series I, II's and IIA's so have a big soft spot for the pom and all its crazy little quirks and jerks.

Landcruiser in all its variants but the 70series wagon GXL would be my choice if it gets the final nod. Tested the original FJ's back in the day when the Amry was looking at them, also drove a 70series as an Armoured car back in the 90's, and have had 2 hilux twin cabs

Isuzu DMax twin cab 4X4 ute 3l, Owned a twin cab Rodeo/Isuazu back in the early 90's, they sure have improved since then.

Nissan Patrol, waiting to see what they come up with next although i dont mind towing my mates boat with his DX. They are a pretty solid workhorse and there's plenty around.

Looking a little less at:
Mitsubishi Challenger: a mate has one and loves it to death, had one follow me along the Tasmanian West Coast Western Explorer Rd at a good clip and he was doing pretty well, considering i have a modified Subaru Forester that would eat the big 4x4's under these more rally like conditions at a lets say fast pace in a run from Corinna to Arthur River.

peeking at with binoculars:
the GW twin cab 4x4 to see what they come up within the next 2+yrs.

I am a never say never type of guy but what is coming up to be my last car i am still very undecided and all the factors i am looking at including longevity and reliability it makes it a hard task to single one out, but as i said the man from china is getting a look and i would be stupid not to.

[albany_nomads]

I have been hurt by a cheap Daewoo in the past and countless other pieces of faeces that were built on the cheap.
My fear is that great fall fits into this. Chinese are not magicians. They do not have some secret to making QUALITY goods cheap.
95% of the time you do actually get what you pay for.

FWIW, i do buy chinese products. If i really don't care that it will break then chinese is ok. But if i need to rely in it or if safety is concerned... then i will buy the best i can afford.

mike

One point Daewwoo weren't Chinese..they are Korean..they had Holden engines in them (be good or bad)
And  its also the same place that all your smaller Holden and GMH vehicles come from such Astras etc still today

[dno]

Just my opinion, but if they put a 3litre + engine in the great wall think they would cop a lot less flack. For the money they seem to represent good value, for a new car purchase. But based on owning earlier model 4x4s with similar sized engines and finding them lacking in the power department when 4 wheeling. I guess it would be easy for people to assume they were comparing similar animals. Anyway bring on a 3+? engined great wall and i think we'll see them sell like hot cakes, and by starting at the small end there is plenty of room for advancement. Anyhow great to see and hear people happy with there purchaser's, and its a good read..  

[Heiny]

One point Daewwoo weren't Chinese..they are Korean..they had Holden engines in them (be good or bad)
And  its also the same place that all your smaller Holden and GMH vehicles come from such Astras etc still today

Not sure where you get your information from but the Astra is actually made in Belgium by Opel

[D4D]

Good to see they used the Prado steering wheel for the new model