Chery to Ship Convertible to US This Year?

Aaron October 8th, 2007 1:18 PM Link

I’ll wait for the crash test results before developing a real opinion as those Cherys already have quite a notorious reputation for passenger safety.

Why do the front brake discs look smaller than the rear discs?

Ducati Minor October 8th, 2007 2:13 PM Link

I didn’t care for the Japanese Eclipse Spyder–why would I want a Chinese knock-off?

enthusiast October 8th, 2007 2:16 PM Link

Looks just like the Eclipse Spyder, with a little Pontiac twist in the back.

Bill Fisher October 8th, 2007 2:52 PM Link

The car is far from complete in engineering and the top is still problematic. This story is completely baseless. There is no truth to Chery shipping any vehicle to the U.S. this year.

smokefreak2003 October 8th, 2007 3:10 PM Link

I can not wait, these cars will kill the U.S. used car market filled with: high mileage, overpriced, and problematic used cars. If I was in the market for used, I would get the new Chery that might; key word might, last for 150,000 miles and have a 100K waranty on it. To me any new $6000-$8000 car is better than a 10 year old 3 owner Civc or Corolla for that price, even if it is a POS. China will “Barbie Doll” the U.S. car market. Meaning, 30 years ago when Chinese toys showed up on the scene, poor and lower middle class American families who could not afford to buy their kids new toys, bought used American toys instead. When these brand spanking new, but low quality Chinese toys came on the scene, the obivous choice was to buy new. Not to mention, that they were made so cheaply that if the old one broke, you can easily buy a brand new one. A scenario when even a welfare mother could afford to buy a new car, rather than used.

-Always Drive Foreign,
Less Customers Will Teach the Big-3
How to make real cars again

Scratch October 8th, 2007 4:06 PM Link

smokefreak: I’ll bet you were the first to run out and buy a Yugo, weren’t you?

Jonathan Fung [Gotakon] October 8th, 2007 4:20 PM Link

Pininfarina you say? That makes things a slight bit more interesting. And Chinese cars will come. It is only a matter of time.

PhDEngineer October 8th, 2007 4:50 PM Link

I would never allow any of my friends or family to ride in one of these vehicles until it is proven that they are reasonably safe. A convertible especially.

Also, given the ethics of the Chinese ruling class, what is to stop “ringers” being built to satisfy the crash tests, and then cutting corners on actual product.

Remember that these are the folks that continue to supply lead and other treats to our children.

dante October 8th, 2007 5:11 PM Link

They should sell them through WalMart.

Jaymez October 8th, 2007 6:08 PM Link

This just in. Just sitting in the car is enough to give you lead poisioning.

Rex October 8th, 2007 7:46 PM Link

I highly doubt this will make it to our shores this year. With all of the testing and regulations (Thank God we still have Regs, even with the Bush Admin. still in office) needed to enter the US markets. Also the Dealer Networks that would need to be set-up first. I believe the American public is safe for a least a year or so. I believe I read somewhere that the Chinese will make an appearance in Detroit next year.

will October 8th, 2007 7:48 PM Link

I think smokefreak03 is the best Chery can do at internet advertising.

Man, go back and tell your boss to rewrite the script.

Dean October 8th, 2007 9:58 PM Link

“Safety” is relative. Speed + other idiots + static objects will kill you dead just the same as some tin can car.

I drive a VW Thing. Fast. On Interstate Highways. It takes thought, skill, and maintenance to do that. Most drivers in this country are true mouth breathers when it comes to any of those.

Live life. Think. Drive everything. Fear only the lack of your own skill to flog anything.

smokefreak2003 October 8th, 2007 10:29 PM Link

It is just simple economics, in a free market if you can get the lowest-cost alternative to used then people, maybe not myseif nor you guys will buy the thing. I might consider Chery if I needed a beater or a truck and that is it. Dean is right, about driving skill. I just like to add driver intelligence, and maintenance as other contributing factors to the safety and reliabilty of vehicles. I have seen Civics die at 160K miles, while seeing Caviliers last until 450K miles. The Civic is seen as the better car, it is the driver that counts too. There are a lot of Americans that beat the hell up out of their cars, without at least changing the oil. What i mean about my last comment, is that in a value driven market like ours. Cars being sold that have 80K-160K miles for $6000-$8000 can not survive in a market with brand spanking new cars for the same price.

-Always Drive Foreign,
Less Customers Will Teach the Big-3
How to make real cars again

Jonathan Fung [Gotakon] October 8th, 2007 11:34 PM Link

I’m with smokefreak2003, but you have to realize that the opportunity cost in this case is a car which will probably have lower crash test results. Then again, using marginal analysis, most people would value a zeroed odometer over one or two less stars in those confuddled crash test ratings…especially if the car looks decent.

Besides, crash test ratings only matter when you crash. Most people don’t get in major accidents anyway; it’s mostly low speed bumps and scratches for the typical commuter. And a cheap car generally means cheaper maintenance for when you do get in those low speed crashes.

Mike October 9th, 2007 9:09 AM Link

I’m going to be “that guy”, and say that I will never buy a Chinese automobile. Well, I’d consider one if their oppressive regime, with its deplorable human rights record, were toppled; if their environmental standards were raised, and lastly, if the U.S. trade deficit were significantly lowered.

This thing could be built like a Panzer tank and safer than a Volvo; that doesn’t even come into the equation at this point.

I am not a granola-munching, Birky-wearing, patchouli-stinking, tree-hugging hippie. I am realistic, and realize life would be nigh-on impossible to live without purchasing products made in, or composed of parts from, China. I also understand that non-Chinese automakers are not altruistic. I do, however, believe that the compromises we make today, the blind eye we turn in the name or bargains or convenience, will have dire consequences in the long run.

Sure, my rant is about more than cars, but this is one area where we can still vote with our wallets. To ignore the true cost of these cars is unconscionable.

smokefreak2003 October 9th, 2007 1:21 PM Link

Umm Mike, the U.N. has a list of human rights violations against us. Even the Chinese in their annual reports on: The Human Rights Abuses of the United States, the Chinese mention the hypocracies of how we want China to improve their human rights yet, we have not solved our human rights issues past 1970. I can name the top ten for you.

1.No Universal Healthcare for all
2.Police Abuses of Minority Groups.
3.Wage and opportunity Gaps between Men and Women.
4.Sentencing Disparities between Minorites and Whites.
5.Wage and opportunity Gaps between Black Males and White Males.
6.Decreased Job Security, especially among service workers.
7.Fighting Undeclared wars against soverign third world nation states.
8.Disparities of execution rates between Minorities and Whites.
9.Treatment and wages of undocumented workers.
10.Increased marginalization of poor whites, especially those who come from economically depressed regions: such as Appalachia and the Sierra Madre.

Look it up if you want. All I know is, sure I might not give a shit about our gas-guzzling rattle traps we Americans call domesitic automobiles. What I do believe in is an Americans first social, economic, and opportunity policy. Then again, I happen to make my living as a Social Scientist, and I have Socialist/Civil Libertarian viewpoints.

I did forget that in my little rant most people here on Winding road are like most of my fellow countrymen: Selfish douchebags, who think everything is A-ok as long as they get paid on Friday so that they could be able to buy more consumer goods to get more in debt with. You know: the save the Animals, Save the poor Chinese Peasants, Free Tibet people. The same people when you ask them about domsetic soical issues, they say fuck Blacks, Women, Mexicans, and White Trash. Then Follow that statement with, they are lazy good fornothings anyway, damm social parasites.

-Always Drive Foreign,
Less Customers Will Teach the Big-3
How to make real cars again

Adam W. October 9th, 2007 1:47 PM Link

“Chineese Crap” = Crap (still)

bmwloco October 9th, 2007 2:00 PM Link

You can look at it another way: China is probably building this rag top with the cast off stuff from the good old USA.

I have friends in the waste metal biz. They’ve told me on numerous occasions that Chinese business men have come in and said “we’ll take it all”.

And they do.

So, they’re making cars out of our waste material.

Sounds like recycling in it’s finest form to me.

Malcolm October 9th, 2007 9:53 PM Link

Remember when the unsafe, unreliable, unknown crap was considered to be Datsun, Honda, Subaru and Volkswagen?
Not all of the Chinese auto companies are making Yugo quality vehicles, some are building BMW quality.
Who will buy a Chinese car? Considering the over 200 BILLION trade deficit with China I expect there are willing buyers for Chinese cars in the US, we seem to be gluttons for Chinese goods.

Winding Road » Archive » Chery Heads Out to Australia April 1st, 2008 2:01 PM Link

[…] Chinese company has exported its cars to 69 countries and regions to date, and will likely export to another 10 countries this year. With its advantages […]

Winding Road » Archive » Chery Heads Out to Australia April 1st, 2008 2:01 PM Link

[…] Chinese company has exported its cars to 69 countries and regions to date, and will likely export to another 10 countries this year. With its advantages […]