SO..anyone going to buy a Chinese "Rover"?

[BonzoDog]

Can mostly agree with you Bonzo, except in the last 12 years I have seen my industry go from the style you indicate to the AngloAmerican ethos of late working, long hours, poor lunch breaks. Its sad to see a pretty German lady coming in at 8am working till 11pm, not married (has no time), falsely pressured to work hard and long, but its happening here!

Problem is I can see the merits in both systems but the flexibility and give and take that existed a few years ago also seems to have disappeared. Something about respect for others I think.
In the standard German model, the unions are treated with respect and have seats on the Supervisory board. It is not always harmonious but everybody is singing more or less from the same hymn sheet, with the usual exceptions, of course.
Britain, it appears to me, is doing relatively well but that is at the price of a large number of temporary and low paid workers and again, from what I have seen of some of the rapacious practices carried on by some managements, they need some serious support.

 

[BlackC55]

I would rather drive my old shed caddy than drive that. Or any other Rover for that matter. (excluding the SD1)

 

[spitzkop]

Or any other Rover for that matter. (excluding the SD1)

Tsssk! Tssssk! Nice car for its year and when it worked! Big Engines (ie. standard 3.5 to 3.9 and twin turbo), went like s off a shovel....but you worked in miles per breakdown, not per gallon!

 

[spitzkop]

Problem is I can see the merits in both systems but the flexibility and give and take that existed a few years ago also seems to have disappeared. Something about respect for others I think.
In the standard German model, the unions are treated with respect and have seats on the Supervisory board. It is not always harmonious but everybody is singing more or less from the same hymn sheet, with the usual exceptions, of course.
Britain, it appears to me, is doing relatively well but that is at the price of a large number of temporary and low paid workers and again, from what I have seen of some of the rapacious practices carried on by some managements, they need some serious support.

About to go home (20 minutes), feierabend time.... got to walk the gauntlet of tut tuts by my German peers who think I am going home early! I remember this attitude from London circa 15 years ago! Home is where you go for a leak, work is where you live

 

[shadowninja]

...


at least they didn't call it Lover.

 

[big x]

I would rather people bought EU made cars because without exception there are British made parts in them.UK made Honda and Nissan have a high UK content whilst my German made Mercedes has a UK made Girling brake master cylinder,French glass etc.whist the Chinese made stuff probably has little or none.

adam

 

[tony2311]

if it was made in china the car will be miles cheaper then a imported car in china, So even if it was for its own market it will do very well as the market its vast, car imported from german/japan is at a perium becuase of the import tax the chinese goverment impost on them, so rovwe will not need to suceed in uk or other market in order for it to survive

 

[merc man]

Not a fair comment

All that said, I wouldn't want a Chinese Rover any more than I'd want a British one and I'd rather drive a Fiesta than any kind of Lexus.

I own a Lexus is200 sport and to this day it has never once failed or had any issues unlike the c-class, Lexus was cheaper and fully spec'd while merc had a few toys but not as many as Lexus and was a lot more. The merc always has one issue or another. Lexus after sales is top-notch and Mercedes don’t really care once you buy their cars. But on an honest note lexus will always be a cheap mans merc! (to buy and run) Style and luxury is one thing speed and reliability is another!
Don’t knock it till you try it!

 

[Dryce]

The MGF was fundamentaly flawed, unless you liked banging your head on the roof frame if you were anywhere near 6'

Wifey had a MGF before switching to SLK.

Loves the SLK but really really misses the MGF.

(Neither of us are 6' so our perspective is perhaps a little different :bannana