BUYING A NEW CAR IN HK…

After a litany of woes with a used (1 yr old when we bought it – through LandRover) LandRover Freelander (company slogan – Worst4x4xFar), including water leaking into the engine block requiring a total engine rebuild, the gearbox being entirely rebuilt, the tailgate window opening and shutting at random, sporadic overheating , whining transmission, excessive road and tyre noise, asthmatic air conditioning and various bits of interior trim literally falling off, the final straw came with a terrible whining noise from the transmission combined with yet more steam from uinder the bonnet. I called LandRover and they agreed to buy the thing back from me. So “The Shed” as it had become known (very unaffectionately) disappeared from our parking space (they had to collect it on a lorry as it was undriveable) and I set out, clutching their cheque, to find a replacement.

The only rule – no more LandRovers!

We have two small children and two dogs, so either an estate car or a 4x4 are the only viable options, and my wife likes the high driving positions of 4x4’s so that is ideally what I was aiming for.

Firstly I thought I’d head down the second-hand route, and off I trotted to the AutoMall next to the Grand Hyatt for a look around. There were a few options which immediately presented themselves – a couple of BMW 3 Series estates (1997 and 2000), a Mercedes ML320 (1998), a few Lexus RX300, and one guy trying to tempt me into a RangeRover. Despite my vow of no more LandRovers I actually succumbed briefly to the salesmans entreaties and climbed into this beast. It was all very cosyt and comfortable. Then he put the key in to fire it up. BONG! “EAS FAULT” flashes across the LCD Display in the dash – Electronic Air Suspension – not cheap to fix. That immediately cured me of any urge to look any further at anything remotely associated with LandRover.

After a bit of consideration I decided a BMW 3 Series estate would do the job nicely. Not too big, not too thirsty , safe, reliable, nice to drive (we had a 3 series saloon in the UK before moving here and it was excellent) etc etc… I wander up to the salesman for the first car.
“Would it be possible to have a test drive in this car please?”
“Do you like the price?”
“Well I think $148k for a 1997 is a bit steep but if the car’s good then we can discuss that”
“Agree price first, then drive”
“But I don’t know what it’s worth until I’ve driven it. Perhaps the suspension is shot, or the brakes are worn out, or the aircon doesn’t work? How can I agree a price before I’ve driven it?
“No drive till price agreed”
“Sod you then” (Actually that bit was muttered to myself) and I stalked off.

Second 3 series estate
“Would it be possible to have a test drive in this car please?”
“Do you like the price?”
This is taking a familiar turn.
“Are you going to tell me I can’t drive it till we’ve a greed a price?”
“Yes.”
time for more stalking.

This time I head towards the Mercedes ML320. He’s asking $199k which seems good for a “prestige” vehicle.

And yes I can test drive it. Hurrah.

In I climb. First thing I notice is that most of the trim seems to have been made out of the cheapest plastic available at the time. Even so we set off. Out of the car park we go, and that’s where the problems start.
Me “What’s that noise?”
Him “The engine”
“All the Mercedes I’ve ever driven are quiet as a mouse, how come this one is so loud?”
“Small engine, big car”
He’s not joking. I try to head up Magazine Gap Road and we do make it to the top, but on the way up any attempt to accelerate by pressing on the right hand pedal are met with huge roars from the engine but no noticeable increase in speed.
“This is hopeless. I’ll be deaf in days. Let’s go back”
“Do you want to try a ML430?” (The V8-engined car) “I have one available”
“Sure”
And off we go. Much, much better, quiet, powerful, refined – a totally different proposition.
“Do you have any service history for the car?
“No”
“Is it a grey import or a Zung Fu car?”
“Import – don’t know where from or who by”
Hmmmm – suddenly I’ve gone off it.

Beaten by the Automall I decide to head to the Franchise dealers.

Mazda first. They have been advertising some used Mazda Tribute’s for a few weeks and sound like a bargain. Similar in size to the Freelander, V6 engines, and these have been used by Mazda’s own managers so service record etc is impeccable. Plus they are asking on $99k!
But oh what a disappointment. Like the ML320 only more so. The noise from the road once you are moving is unreal. The high profile “off-road” tyres roar and the engine whirrs, hums and thrashes away at varying volumes as you press on the accelerator but again with no noticeable change in speed.

Now I decide to start looking at new cars. After all this will be transporting my family about and HK’s used market is notoriously dodgy at best.

So to Toyota for a look at a RAV4.
“Hi. I’m thinking of buying a RAV4 and was wondering if you would have one I could test drive please, either new or used is fine.”
Sorry. No RAV4 in stock. We don’t keep them in stock in Hong Kong.”
“But I’ve seen a few about. How did those people test them?”
“They didn’t. Just ordered and we delivered. Takesd about 3 months.”
“Thanks but I need a car now.”

Maybe Honda?
“I’d like to have a look a C-RV please if you have one and go for a test drive”
“Not here (HK-side). Kowloon only. We have two new cars. But no test drive.”
“No test drive? Why? You said you have 2 for sale.”
“They are new. If you drive them they won’t be new”
I’ve never looked at it like that. Never will again either. I’m sorry but expecting someone to shell out the best part of $300k on a car they’ve never driven is insane.

I can’t believe how hard it is proving to spend a large amount of money in this town.

So to Subaru almost next door…. with very low expectations. Some friends in Australia have a Subaru Forester which they think is great so I decide to have a look.
Higher and taller than an estate, but lower than a 4x4, it falls between the two camps, but is still eminently suitable for the job which it would be doing. First shock – they have one in the showroom! In I go and have a poke about in it, then the salesman comes over.
“Do you have one of these I can test drive please?”
“Yes. You want to try it now?”
“Errrrrr.” (I wasn’t prepared for this turn of events) . “Sure, why not?”
“Wait five minutes please”
Four minutes later, a shiny silver Forester is out front.
In I get and off we go.
This is the 2.0XT model so has basically the same flat-four “boxer” engine as the Subaru Impreza Turbo Nutter car, albeit with a smaller turbo, and develops approximately 175bhp. The engine is also mounted very low in the vehicle. The result is a dull family estate on the outside that goes like the clappers when you get your toe down. And it has 4 wheel drive (AWD in Subaru speak) so goes round corners at ludicrous speeds with grip to spare if you feel like being a hooligan. It’s also pretty quiet, reasonably refined and comes with a 3 yr warranty on everything.

Then things get better…

“There’s something about the interior that doesn’t look like the one in the showroom?”
“Yes – the centre console has been updated for 2005 but the mechanics are all identical. We have three of these from last year which we are doing a deal on. We are selling them for $219k instead of $245k for the ones with the new-look interior.”
“So I can get one of these for $219k and it’ll just have slightly different air-con buttons to the 2005 car? Will it be a new registration or are they registered already?”
“Yes, basically just the buttons are different, and yes it will be brand new registration. The 3 year warranty starts the day you collect it.”
“Ok. Let me think about it.”
…..
“I’ve thought about it. Done.”

I collected the car on Friday night from Subaru, my new favourite company. 48 hours later and I am a very happy customer so far. Everything works, nothing makes strange noises, no windows have mysteriously opened themsleves while the car is parked and locked, no bits have fallen off, there is no pool of oil in our parking space, and no steam coming from under the bonnet. When you've had a LandRover before those are all minor miracles!

One last thing. Our old Freelander has now turned up at the Automall! It now has leather upholstery (it was cloth when we had it) and has I hope been totally rebuilt under the bonner. Even so I would advise all readers to avoid light-blue Freelanders like the plague - especially if the registration is KA 8430