5th China carmaker set to debut here
By Christopher Tan - April 26, 2007
The Straits Times
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 Chinas 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 Singapores 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 Cherys 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 Kwees Group Exklusiv,
which also represents Soyat and Dongfeng.
Although Hafei is set for this weekends 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 Singapores
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 Kwees Geely business, said
Ms Kohs 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.
