5th China carmaker set to debut here

[User12343]

ST 26/4

 

LESS than a year after Chery became the first China carmaker to enter the Singapore market, a fifth has joined the fray.

 

Hafei Automobile, from China's north-eastern industrial city of Harbin, will launch two 1.1-litre models this weekend: the Lobo and the Minz.

 

The Lobo is a hatchback while the Minz will be sold as a six-seater multi-purpose vehicle or a goods van.

 

They will be distributed from a Kampong Ubi showroom by Hafei Automobile (Singapore), partly owned by Lian Fong Credit - the group which introduced the Chery nine months ago.

 

A Singapore Hafei Automobile spokesman said the Lobo is likely to be priced at around $38,000 - some $5,000 more than the Chery QQ, which will retain the title of Singapore's cheapest car. The price of the Minz has not been fixed yet, but the spokesman indicated that it too will be costlier than the Chery.

 

The cheapest non-China car on the market here is the Perodua Kelisa - a small hatchback going for $35,700.

 

The Chinese invasion began in July last year, with Chery's debut. Geely followed in November, and Soyat and Dongfeng in January.

 

The Straits Times understands that two more Chinese brands are due here this year.

 

The Geelys are sold by entrepreneur Peter Kwee's Group Exklusiv - which also represents Soyat and Dongfeng.

 

Although Hafei is set for this weekend's launch, its cars - and those of Soyat and Dongfeng - have not yet passed a Land Transport Authority inspection, without which they cannot be sold here. Both Chery and Geely have gone through the test and are chalking up good sales - largely because they are the cheapest cars in town.

 

Today, there are more than 500 Cherys and 150 Geelys on Singapore's roads.

 

In the first three months of this year, buyers here drove away with 230 Cherys and 121 Geelys. In the same period, 153 Peroduas, 711 Chevrolets and 1,062 Kias were sold - all slightly costlier.

 

While the China car makes have made an encouraging debut, they have had their share of customer complaints.

 

The most serious to date appears to be from finance and administrative assistant Koh Bee Leng, 30, who bought a $26,300 off-peak Geely CK in mid-February. Two days later, the battery indicator lamp lit up, prompting Ms Koh to send it for checks.

 

No problem was found, but two weeks later the car would not start. It was towed to the workshop and the battery was replaced. However, the air-conditioner then sprang a leak and stopped working. It was repaired, but 'was not cold a week later'.

 

It was back to the workshop once again when a window jammed. Ms Koh collected her car last Thursday, but by Sunday, 'the battery light started blinking again'.

 

Mr Nicholas Ng, general manager for Mr Kwee's Geely business, said Ms Koh's case is an isolated one and that the company has made good to the customer.

 

The Consumers Association of Singapore said it has not received any complaints about China cars.

[Ahyoo2002]

Haha, why people want to buy China make car, just pay a few $k more can get at least a Korean make liao

[Apollo]

i mike b interest in china made buick... they r beri comfy MPV.

[Burgerdog]

the same reason when people say "Why people want to buy Korean make car, just pay a few $k more can get at least a Japan make liao"...

[Ahbengdriver]

LOBO = Luo BUO = Carrot?

[Toyo]

Haha, why people want to buy China make car, just pay a few $k more can get at least a Korean make liao

 

and then a few more $K can buy jap cars liao

[Porche]

another 1-2K can buy a Rio liao, siao go buy CK...maybe the car have more accessories. that's y they fall into the trap.

[Fandango]

I believe the bulk of the buyers are Chinese from Mainland.

[Sporadic]

Haha, why people want to buy China make car, just pay a few $k more can get at least a Korean make liao

 

and then a few more $K can buy jap cars liao

 

...and a few more $k gets you a continental car liao...

[Silver_blade]

Indeed. If it's so easy as to add a few more $K here and few more $K there...then everyone should end up with at least a lexus or audi.

 

Everyone has a budget (not necessarily that they're poor, but it's their priority) and it's good that they stick to it.

Edited April 26, 2007 by Silver_blade

[Toyo]

to buy continental cars, must top up mamy many $k

[Toyo]

I believe the bulk of the buyers are Chinese from Mainland.

 

I thought so too. since there is a large chinese community here, china make cars shld sells well here

[Makinen85]

not again....if for mi i'll rather get a kelisa....

[Acemundo]

haha....just a few days ago i was tellng off some lady doing an insurance sales call to me.......she say the insurance only $x.00 per day..

 

i told her, every insurance agent that calls me also use this tactic. break down the cost of insurance by per day and tell me that it is affordable. but if i buy every insurance that is so affordable on per day basis, then on a total basis, they are no longer affordable for me.

[Shull]

lol..one of my officers commented this morning..

 

"imagine you say to you friend, I drive a Hafei Lobo.."

 

now try speaking it out loud to yourself and to whoever around you that care to listen..it will sound very funny..

[Toyo]

[Fandango]

Yes it will sell quite well here. It makes economical sense to bring in Chinese car for the Mainland Chinese population here in SG.

 

Actually, if you are going to ask me a rough estimate of the Mainland Chinese population here in Sg, i guess maybe 150,000?

Edited April 26, 2007 by Fandango

[Rickster]

Assuming if 10% of the Chinese population here buys a car, then that'll be 15K chinese car sold and taht is a BIG market

 

However, I think most of the Chinese professionals who are PR here will not buy a made-in-china cars...I asked 2 of them will they buy a Chery during the time when it was juz launched here. The ans: No, cos they are way overpriced.

 

They do not want to be taken as a fool to buy a car at 5 times the price compared back to their homeland. They'd rather get a Korean or Jap car.

Edited April 26, 2007 by Rickster