Mad Manny's Meandering Motoring Musings

[Mad Manny]

we've always had the Suzuki SJ.
But the current one, while still small and with a small engine, is bigger and comes in a 5 door.

Vehicles like the 2 door Pajero and IQ & even the old G-Wagons are long gone

Toyota decided to re-enter that market & bring out a small low cost rugged mini 4x4.which maybe called the FJ.

Let's list them:
Jimny 5 door
Force Gurkha
Thar Roxx
Then, maybe coming...
This new Mitsubishi
The upcoming FJ.

But let's see...

[Redman]

Kia Tasman:
I thinks its ugly & it'll be expensive...

Your views..?

So pricing for Australia puts them on par with the likes of Ford, Isuzu, Toyota etc.

• Tasman S 4x2 $42,990

• Tasman SX 4x4 $54,590

• Tasman X Line 4x4 $67,590

• Tasman X Pro 4x4 $74,990

Still not an oil painting. But I must admit ARB released some images of their products on the Tasman and it definitely makes it look at lot better than the stock ones.

[Mad Manny]

Jetour launches a 2.0Defender 100
https://topauto.co.za/features/133773/n ... very-soon/

[Samaya]

That looks very similar the upcoming Jeep Recon

https://mobile.guideautoweb.com/en/arti ... ial-debut/

[Douw]

I think these new Chinese brand will have to prove their reliability first.

[Mad Manny]

As you know, Nissan is in deep trouble.
The Chinese onslaught is taking it's toll.
Also the fact that they sell virtually nothing worth buying.

Anyhoo, Nissan just launched an updated Magnite.
It's had a few improvements.
They dropped the price by R40k,
Clearly to counter the Chinese.
Especially the Chery Pro7.

But here's the funny part:
They offer a 6 year warranty.

So you can buy a Nissan in SA with a warranty longer than I expect Nissan to survive!

[Mad Manny]

I think these new Chinese brand will have to prove their reliability first.

I was in John Ratcliffe buying service kits today.
(Managed to get 20L Liqui-Moly 15W 40 THT Oil for R2080 Incl.).

Anyhoo, a guy walks in with a box full of used filters - clearly from a Truck!
He is from a place that services & repairs trucks

I chat to him, the filters are from a FAW Truck.
He says the client is NOT good @ keeping up with regular servicing.

I say "A Chinese truck that isn't maintained properly won't last!"

He replies "This one has over 800 000km on it!"

[jakeslouw]

Any truck that isn't maintained will fail. This goes for any vehicle.

Sneer at the Chinese stuff at your peril.
The Yanks sneered at Jap stuff after WW2. The Japs took over.
The Japs sneered at Korean stuff after 1990. Where is Kia and Hyundai now?
Now everybody is sneering at the Chinese.

[Mad Manny]

InJuly 2025 Toyota (including Lexus & Hino) & Suzuki made up 36% of all vehicles sold.

VW took a further 10%.

Meaning the top 3 took 46% of the market.

There are 55 Brands in SA.
From BAIC & BYD to Volkswagen & Volvo.

This means that, once Toyota, Suzuki & VW had taken their 46%, the other 52 brands had to squabble over the remaining 54%....

That's around 1% each on average....

[jakeslouw]

Still won't convince me to buy a Toyota.

I'm not a sheeple.

[Trolly Fan]

InJuly 2025 Toyota (including Lexus & Hino) & Suzuki made up 36% of all vehicles sold.

VW took a further 10%.

Meaning the top 3 took 46% of the market.

There are 55 Brands in SA.
From BAIC & BYD to Volkswagen & Volvo.

This means that, once Toyota, Suzuki & VW had taken their 46%, the other 52 brands had to squabble over the remaining 54%....

That's around 1% each on average....

Yet even VW is in trouble globally.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/ar ... hief-warns

While BYD globally now sells more EVs than Tesla.

But agree, we have too many brands in SA currently.
Currently low sales levels are unsustainable. I suspect, with the exception of Toyota, Suzuki (and maybe VW depending on if they can turn themselves around) many of the 52 squabbling non-Chinese brands will not be in SA in three years from now.

[PsyPhin]

BYD is definitely one to watch. Small now here but I think they are going to become very popular.

[jakeslouw]

EV's need cheap electricity? Not going to take off here unless you have have a large home solar or can charge cheap at work..........

[Mad Manny]

EVs are not the solution.

People who believe that EVs are the future probably had an Atari & bought Blockbuster shares.
Type of people who replaced all their LPs with CDs as CDs were the future.

I remember when Margerine came out.
Everyone said it was the future and soon no one will buy butter.
Now we know Margerine is just spreadable plastic.
Intelligent people only use Butter

IC engines may eventually be replaced, but not by EVs....

[jakeslouw]

I agree. ICE will stay ICE, we just won't burn hydrocarbons.
The environmental impact of EV's is simply insane.