Mg extender, your expirence?

[sanook 1]

Seen Top models of the mg extender (pick up), 1-2 year old for sale at around 500 k. Are they so much worse than a d-max or hilux? 

[Kwasaki]

I think they are much of a muchness.

Why don't you go and test drive one.

[KhunLA]

Give a test drive, as suggested, see how it compares yourself.   Do a bit of research, FB/MG groups for the Extender, see what the complaints are.

 

Manufacturers seem to have the drivetrains down to a science, and option/accessories seem to get the complaints in most vehicles.  See if they are important enough for you.

 

Spec comparison, make sure it's what you want, need out of a truck; load wt/volume capacity.  Towing allowance/restriction, if thinking about a trailer/towing of anything.

 

MG fan myself, and peeked at them, Extender in the showroom, looking & priced competitively. but we really have no use for a truck.

[Lacessit]

AFAIK the only issue with the Chinese MG brand is the very short track record w.r.to service, maintenance and reliability. D-max and HiLux have a much longer history, which is why they depreciate more slowly.

 

One issue may be rust, I understand the LDV models have a very poor corrosion protection system.

 

It's like when Japanese and succeeding Korean brands first hit Western markets, they got better with each iteration.

[Kwasaki]

16 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

AFAIK the only issue with the Chinese MG brand is the very short track record w.r.to service, maintenance and reliability. D-max and HiLux have a much longer history, which is why they depreciate more slowly.

 

One issue may be rust, I understand the LDV models have a very poor corrosion protection system.

 

It's like when Japanese and succeeding Korean brands first hit Western markets, they got better with each iteration.

Track record on my 1•9 Isuzu engine is short too.

[Woof999]

If you do buy an MG (they seem great value for money) then please please please do not put a "Morris Garages" decal on it.

 

Growing up in the UK during the MG "heyday", and now decades later with 9 years in Thailand, I've only just gotten around to seeing MG as a viable brand again. That was until I started seeing the full name emblazoned as if it were prestigious.

 

 

[KhunLA]

@sanook 1

On track record, the Extender is a rebadge Maxus 60/70, and been around for about 7 years, so plenty of time to work the kinks out.

 

And the engine, drivetrain, if same as Maxus, has been around for about 20 years.

[Kwasaki]

The MG plant in UK has nothing to do with Morris other than name.

Although the first new MG for 16 years in UK was put together in UK, all its parts come from China.

[KhunLA]

2 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

The MG plant in UK has nothing to do with Morris other than name.

Although the first new MG for 16 years in UK was put together in UK, all its parts come from China.

Nothing put together now in the UK for MG.  Keep the HQ there, supposedly for 'designing' ????  Justifies the 'Brit Dynamics' thingy plate on the vehicles ????

 

If not for CH/SAIC, MG would be just another on the long list of failed automakers in the UK.   Really turned the company around, and can't seem to make some models fast enough to keep up with demand ????

[Kwasaki]

28 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

@sanook 1

On track record, the Extender is a rebadge Maxus 60/70, and been around for about 7 years, so plenty of time to work the kinks out.

 

And the engine, drivetrain, if same as Maxus, has been around for about 20 years.

From my sources.

 

2016 the T60/70 and the 2•0 Ltr engine was developed with GM.

 

[jaiyenyen]

I've owned my Extender for 3+ years.

I've had no issues with it. I previously owned a Toyota Pre-Runner and 2 Mazda BT50's. In my opinion the build quality is certainly as good as the Mazda, and running costs are around the same.

Mine is the 4-door, auto, i-smart model. It has an incredible spec for the money; 5 years free parts and labour servicing, disc brakes all round, tyre pressure sensors, auto lights, large screen infotainment system, cruise control, loads of legroom in the back, plus more.

I paid less than 800,000 baht for mine.

Would I buy another one?..........Yes.

Go and have a look at one.

[HauptmannUK]

The MG Extender is a rebadged SAIC-Maxus.

Like almost all export-market Chinese vehicles it is built with licenced Western technology.

Almost all SAIC-MG-Maxus-Roewe products are based on General Motors designs.

The 2.0 petrol are the GM/Opel MGE engine. 2.4s are Mitsubishi units.

2.0 Diesel is a slightly modified GM Family B engine (much the same as in Chev Cruze 2.0TDi). The 2.8 Diesel is an Italian VM Motori that was designed for GM and built under licence.

The six speed auto is a rebadeged GM 6L50 - GM licenced this to Punch Powerglide (a Belgian company who operate the old GM Strasbourg transmission plant) and Punch then sub-licensed to Shaighai Auto Gearworks (SAGW) who build the boxes from kits supplied via BorgWarner (China) in Dalian.  The manual transmissions are Aisin (Toyota) units made under licence.

I think these MG vehicles are OK as a product. However my knowledge and experience of MG on the UK market is one of poor spares availability, poor technical back-up and failure to take ownership of known problems (i.e. timing chain problems on the SGE engine).  Of course the Thai market might be handled quite differently, I really don't know.  But keep in mind that the cost of a vehicle is its depreciation (purchase price - disposal value).  My advice to family and friends is that if Toyota makes something that would do the job then buy that. Toyota are not perfect but they get it right most of the time.

[Kwasaki]

26 minutes ago, HauptmannUK said:

The MG Extender is a rebadged SAIC-Maxus.

Like almost all export-market Chinese vehicles it is built with licenced Western technology.

Almost all SAIC-MG-Maxus-Roewe products are based on General Motors designs.

The 2.0 petrol are the GM/Opel MGE engine. 2.4s are Mitsubishi units.

2.0 Diesel is a slightly modified GM Family B engine (much the same as in Chev Cruze 2.0TDi). The 2.8 Diesel is an Italian VM Motori that was designed for GM and built under licence.

The six speed auto is a rebadeged GM 6L50 - GM licenced this to Punch Powerglide (a Belgian company who operate the old GM Strasbourg transmission plant) and Punch then sub-licensed to Shaighai Auto Gearworks (SAGW) who build the boxes from kits supplied via BorgWarner (China) in Dalian.  The manual transmissions are Aisin (Toyota) units made under licence.

I think these MG vehicles are OK as a product. However my knowledge and experience of MG on the UK market is one of poor spares availability, poor technical back-up and failure to take ownership of known problems (i.e. timing chain problems on the SGE engine).  Of course the Thai market might be handled quite differently, I really don't know.  But keep in mind that the cost of a vehicle is its depreciation (purchase price - disposal value).  My advice to family and friends is that if Toyota makes something that would do the job then buy that. Toyota are not perfect but they get it right most of the time.

I would disagree somewhat from say a start off price of the MG truck spec model and the same spec cost of a Toyota especially if you intend to keep it.

 

If the MG truck had been around at the time I bought my Isuzu I may have considered it but personally I don't like the look of it. ????

 

I'm not buying another truck in my time.

[sanook 1]

18 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

The MG Extender is a rebadged SAIC-Maxus.

Like almost all export-market Chinese vehicles it is built with licenced Western technology.

Almost all SAIC-MG-Maxus-Roewe products are based on General Motors designs.

The 2.0 petrol are the GM/Opel MGE engine. 2.4s are Mitsubishi units.

2.0 Diesel is a slightly modified GM Family B engine (much the same as in Chev Cruze 2.0TDi). The 2.8 Diesel is an Italian VM Motori that was designed for GM and built under licence.

The six speed auto is a rebadeged GM 6L50 - GM licenced this to Punch Powerglide (a Belgian company who operate the old GM Strasbourg transmission plant) and Punch then sub-licensed to Shaighai Auto Gearworks (SAGW) who build the boxes from kits supplied via BorgWarner (China) in Dalian.  The manual transmissions are Aisin (Toyota) units made under licence.

I think these MG vehicles are OK as a product. However my knowledge and experience of MG on the UK market is one of poor spares availability, poor technical back-up and failure to take ownership of known problems (i.e. timing chain problems on the SGE engine).  Of course the Thai market might be handled quite differently, I really don't know.  But keep in mind that the cost of a vehicle is its depreciation (purchase price - disposal value).  My advice to family and friends is that if Toyota makes something that would do the job then buy that. Toyota are not perfect but they get it right most of the time.

Great info, thanks! 

[HauptmannUK]

On 6/5/2023 at 10:32 AM, Kwasaki said:

I would disagree somewhat from say a start off price of the MG truck spec model and the same spec cost of a Toyota especially if you intend to keep it.

The conundrum with buying a 'challenger brand' like MG is that although the purchase price is lower, depreciation tends to be much higher than with an established brand like Toyota or Isuzu. This means that overall cost of ownership if you sell the vehicle at say 3 or 4 years will likely be higher than for the established brand.  On the other hand, if planning to keep long-term reliability and product support are an unknown.

The MG/Maxus transmissions have a good pedigree and should be reliable. The GM 1996cc Diesel engine is a very fuel efficient engine and variants have been used in other vehicles around the world for several years. Reliability-wise its probably average.  At the end of the day what you are buying is a Chinese-assembled small GM truck with as much cost as possible taken out of it.  Such issues as arise will most likely be with ancillary components and electronic/electrical parts. For example, the quality of wiring and connectors etc I've seen so far on MG products is pretty shoddy.

At a personal level I think they look very unappealing. That huge front grille is almost a parody. 

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

The conundrum with buying a 'challenger brand' like MG is that although the purchase price is lower, depreciation tends to be much higher than with an established brand like Toyota or Isuzu. This means that overall cost of ownership if you sell the vehicle at say 3 or 4 years will likely be higher than for the established brand.  On the other hand, if planning to keep long-term reliability and product support are an unknown.

The MG/Maxus transmissions have a good pedigree and should be reliable. The GM 1996cc Diesel engine is a very fuel efficient engine and variants have been used in other vehicles around the world for several years. Reliability-wise its probably average.  At the end of the day what you are buying is a Chinese-assembled small GM truck with as much cost as possible taken out of it.  Such issues as arise will most likely be with ancillary components and electronic/electrical parts. For example, the quality of wiring and connectors etc I've seen so far on MG products is pretty shoddy.

At a personal level I think they look very unappealing. That huge front grille is almost a parody. 

I agree somewhat if you do change it after 3 or 4 years or so buy another MG. ????

 

Not a bad ride and the interior is quite OK but I'm not keen on exterior looks.

[mistral53]

Instead of listening to Wachmeister's feeble opinion, have a look at this quality YT presentation: (I suggest to replace sound with a Chopin of your choosing, and keep your hands above the table)

 

 

[OneZero]

I'm thinking of having a look at one.

Since the June 2023 helpful reviews above, does anyone else have more recent experience?  

[Yellowtail]

I think it's on a new platform this year, likely why the older ones are cheap. 

 

Anyone looking to buy anything they are not sure of, should wait for the Motor Show that opens end of this month. 

[sanook 1]

42 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I think it's on a new platform this year, likely why the older ones are cheap. 

 

Anyone looking to buy anything they are not sure of, should wait for the Motor Show that opens end of this month. 

Is the motoshow in impact mtt or bitec bangna this time?

[Yellowtail]

3 minutes ago, sanook 1 said:

Is the motoshow in impact mtt or bitec bangna this time?

Impact. I like to stay at the Novotel-Impact and make a day of it. 

Bangkok International Motor Show – by Grand Prix International