New SAIC/Maxus Deliver 9 Van

AMKC

https://youtu.be/qPu65zUwIZ4

I must say this is not bad. This is an Australian review of it.

Am not sure if or when it will be in sale here yet but am sure I seen one driving even in where I live which was strange with it being so new.

they must have been doing driving tests in it to set it up for Irish and European roads.

To me it looks very similar to a Ford Transit and that is no bad thing.

It has a much nicer dash do.

A very modern looking dash in it and good equipment too. LDV need this here and need to advertise it a lot to get it to sell. Really I think they should do a deal with Kia or Hyundao or even Ssangyong to sell them as the logo on there vans at the moment makes no sense it is not the LDV logo it is meant to be a SAIC one I think but that is unknown here.

goochy

Its definitely a Transit knock off , actually looks better than Transit . Dont think they are that cheap and sales figures still low

resale / leasing / pcp rates will be its biggest problem.

i think Harris group , should have had ads in the tabloid papers and sponsor a league of ireland team or something to let ' white van man ' know they exist.

projectgtr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058215108/new-ldv-deliver-9-van

Its been here since January i think, we took delivery of one at the start of 2021. They are sold by Harris, they have a couple little niggly issues but they are above and beyond the older models LDV. Starting to see a lot more of them on the roads around Dublin lately, i think they are around the 22-23k mark.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118081244#Comment_118081244

I agree with you or looks better than a Transit both inside and outside.

Yes I agree they really should advertise this a lot while it is still young and new. I have not seen any advertising for it.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118082039#Comment_118082039

Awe very good.

That's a very good price for them. They could steel a few sales from Ford VW and others if they advertised this right.

Toyotafanboi

They are like a Transit from Wish.com

I'm not sure who i pity more, anyone who buys one or anyone tasked with selling one.

The van market is tricky and buyers know what they like. In my experience reliability comes above anything else for most van drivers, which will be a huge stumbling block for these as they will undoubtably be flaky at best with a **** dealer network and parts/ aftersales support.

That combined with LDV's brand having changed hands more often than i can even think of a funny pun for between the British, the Russians and the Chinese, all countries knows for making **** cars.

The only people stepping out of Transits and Crafters into these will be penny wise, pound foolish.

colm_mcm

One clarification, it’s not an LDV, it’s a SAIC MAXUS brand.

I would say that they will have some success selling fleets of these, or doing leasing deals - rather than selling 1 or 2 vans to owner operators.

Toyotafanboi

The level of a joke this is is obvious from their website, they have 26 retailers across the Republic but only 5 service centres and 4 of those 5 are in Dublin, which tells you three things.

The manufacturer isn't pushed on looking after you once you're in the van.

They'll let anyone with a portacabin flog them and even then the retailers dont want to get their hands dirty.

Good luck and **** you if you break down outside the pale.

By comparison Volkswagen LCV have 24 retailers in the Republic and 40 service centres. The Ford website isn't as clear but it looks like Ford have 38 retailers and 45 service centres.

There's a great quote from their website i really enjoyed "When it comes to selecting a new van, at Maxus, we understand the importance of both price and value for money. That is why with each Maxus van, the usual extras come as standard."

"All the usual extras", it's like a you lad selling his Bora on Donedeal. Then if you want to know what the usual extras are it goes on to mention: drivers AND passengers airbags, ABS and a 6 speed manual gearbox. Stop there please LDV, you're killing me.

goochy

Never been any problems with Harris group for after sales support . They got an order for about 1,000 electric vans in the UK recently. Think it was a rental company

Toyotafanboi

What happens if your Maxus breaks down anywhere outside of Dublin? I'd say the chances of it being back on the road the following day are miniscule.

1000 vans is nothing in the UK market. It wouldn't be huge in the Irish market either. How many Transits do the Gards take delivery of each year? Same with the ESB and Crafters etc etc.

I know An Post have a clatter of the other LDV/ Maxus EV van but they had a big push on to get "green" vans, excuse the pun and probably had to cast the net wide to make the quota needed between Kangoos and NV-e's or whatever they are called.

I'm not looking to knock the product too badly, they are what they are but lets not act like they are going to take down the Transit if they put up a few more billboards. They are a bit of a flash in the pan.

goochy

You obviously aren't familiar with Harris group , they are old school but anything but unprofessional.

You are also wrong about the service centres . Most of the dealers would be service center also . Jimmy healy in Ashford is one of the few who wouldn't have service facilities .

We know they are not going to set the world alight . Harris are used to selling trucks and it's different selling vans and cars - they have struggled with cars also - kia and ssangyong

Toyotafanboi

I never said they weren't professional, i'm familiar with them, i know a few lads working there and was actually offered a job there myself around 2 years ago.

Harris is the distributor not the dealer in this too though, generally speaking. Harris operation is impressive and their expansion plans are there to be seen, you have to hand it to them and i'd like to seem them, or anyone, do well at it.

I just wouldn't have much faith in one of these vans. Good intentions from the distributor isn't enough to make a product good.

I dont understand how the warranty is any use to you when there is no aftersales network. My own experience of van owners and operators is that downtime needs to be minimal when your vehicle is your office and workshop.

Maybe a lot more of their dealers are aftersales centers too, more than what is listed on their website and if this is the case they should get it updated as it's a real off putter IMO.

Ubbquittious

Chief poohbear Jinping will be delighted if people start driving these over here

goochy

Things seem to have hit a wall with these vans in 2023 , anyone knows whats happened ?