I was sitting at traffic lights yesterday behind a new Proton Savvy and I thought, why would anyone buy one of these new. Its ugly, and who are Proton? Surely there would be a better buy from a mainstream manufacturer?
Then speaking to one of my (female) managers later on, she was saying that she wants to buy a new car but can't justify it. On asking, she has a Proton Persona, R Reg, has had for 5 years and she has not had any problems with it. So what would you buy I asked, Oh, I like the new Proton Gen 2. I wouldn't buy anything other than a Proton as I have had 5 years hassle free!
This comment took me back to maybe 20 odd years ago when I knew various people who always bought VW as they were so reliable. But they also changed them every year for another one!
They were a salesman's dream!
" Madam, here at VW we pride ourselves in the fact that your Polo, dearer than equivalent Fiesta, has managed to spend its first year with you without any hassle. I think its time you changed!"
Just goes to show that no matter how extravagant a marketing budget and modern advertsing methods, there are some folk out there who just will not be swayed by them!
|
Becasue they are cheap,
A person is shopping round for a car to get them from A-B as cheaply as possible, not bothered in the slightest what it looks like they come accross a proton its cheap to buy, cheap to run probably cheap to insure and does its job no fuss
|
|
There were people in the past who would buy an Austin Mini rather than a Morris Mini(and vice-versa)because the Austin(or Morris)was FAR superior.
|
My KIA Ceed is FAR superior to a Hyundai i30. :-)
I saw a Proton Savvy a few days ago, the only one I have ever seen. Scrappage purchase?
Last edited by: Old Navy on Wed 28 Apr 10 at 10:09
|
I've never been in one but have read some very bad reports about its poor build quality. Oh and as soon as it does go wrong where do you get that rare part from? None in the scrap yards.
The old Protons sold because they were Mitsibishis the new ones are not.
They also loose value quicker than a Lada.
|
|
I wouldn't touch one: would buy a Skoda, Hyundai i110 or a FIAT Panda. Never understood wy people buy them either!
|
The three choices I had.
The Skoda was a little bit expensive but I may have got a better finance deal on it, however the base 1.2 is quite a bit slower than the Panda 1.1 and the running costs are higher. I didn't need the extra space of the Skoda.
The i10 is a really good package but in the end the package was better than the car itself. My main reason for turning down the i10 is for me it would have been £200 a year more to insure.
The Panda is an old model now, and lacks some kit but as a cheap city car it is brilliant. The three year warranty will put many off. Although it has 3 star NCAP this was due to the fact it was tested without a passanger airbag and ABS wasn't standard at the time I believe. If it was tested now it would get four stars, which is backed up by the fact the FIAT 500 and Ka are both 5 star rated.
The savvy? Expensive to tax and insure and parts will be hard to get. You would be better of buying a used 3 series BMW!
|
Have to ask Rattle, what Proton parts did you have trouble getting hold of? Have to ask because Proton dealers tend to stock Proton parts.
What does the tax cost and what insurance group is it?
|
Panda great with bulletproof engine in petrol guise: try www.fiatsupasaver.com. Also very fond of the Citroen C1/107/Aygo etc.
As to Polos being dearer than Fiestas: not anymore since Ford went insane!
|
The C1/107 etc are brilliant cars with magical engines which are chain cam too. The problem is the price has been creeping up too much over the past 18 months and the base spec ones are far too basic. £7500 for a car with no electric windows or central locking? An I10 for the same price has aircon, electric windows and remote central locking.
The price of used C1s is also a joke. They are great cars but just too expensive at the moment.
Supersaver don't do credit so it is ok for people that can get bank loans or have the cash but for people like me dealer finance schemes are the only option without having to see accountants.
The Fabia is a great little car and I really like the looks too. It is so boring it they are some how interesting.
The new Fiesta was just too pricey but now Ford have put the prices down they are good value again.
So where does the £8k poorly built Proton fit in with that lot?
|
www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/proton/savvy-2006.aspx
It is I20 money.
It is group 3 insurance and insurance is always higher on rare eastern cars due to difficulty and price of body panels.
It is tax band E which is far too high for a cheap city car.
At £6k it would be brilliant value, but at £8k it is pointless. Buyers have kept away like it has swine flu. I see about one a year if that.
Also as for getting parts I doubt Proton will be in this country for much longer unless they can sell more cars.
When Proton first came to the UK they were selling old jap designs at a much reduced price. They were no more expensive than a mid range Lada but much better built. The market has changed, Proton has much better competition and exchange rates means the cars are too expensive.
|
Rattle, cmon now, the tax band is THE same as the 1.2 Panda so id keep quiet about that aspect of things. Insurance is on a par with other city cars such as the Vauxshall Agila so its not excessive by any means.
Looks like you can get a pre-reg for £6500 so its not really that expensive either.
On paper its in the mix really, even if the actual product isnt really up to much and dealers are few and far between.
|
The 1.2 Eco is band B, only the high spec ones are in the higher band. My point is my from own experience insurance groups and actual quotes don't mean anything.
My Corsa was much cheaper to insure than the Fiesta despite both being in the same insurance group. Not sure what the Agilia would cost in real life. I don't fancy doing any more insurance quotes because I am worried they get recorded on my credit file.
My biggest concern though is I don't think the dealers will be around that much longer. If they are not selling it will become too expensive to support them in the UK.
And I have no problem with eastern cars, I very nearly bought an Indian built i10. The Hyundai just walks all over the Proton.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Wed 28 Apr 10 at 19:42
|
Maybe some people buy Protons (or other obscure brands) simply because there is a dealership nearby, so that they see the cars often? A good dealer is worth a lot, as most of us would agree.
I grew up in a small Warwickshire town that opened a main dealership on a small forecourt of a then very obscure brand... Suzuki, early 1980s. There were quite a few Suzukis sold to the housing estates nearby, way before Suzuki's network of dealers and its sales took off around the country in general.
The Panda may be 6 years old but to me the design is still fresh. Nothing else out there is as good for that price IMHO. As I said on a different thread last week, it makes the Aygo/107/C1 redundant on price alone.
|
|
Id certainly have to agree the 107/Aygo is pretty redundant - it needs a price cut to make it relevant again.
|
There's a chap I pass on the way to and from work with some regularity. He used to have a fairly tidy Rover 214SLi, which I thought suited him fine, as he has a big beard and is always smoking a pipe.
Looks like he took advantage of a scrappage deal and now drives a Savvy! He's quite a big bloke and frankly, IMHO, he justs looks a bit daft in a tiny car with pipe smoke curling out of the window...!
|
I think I would rather have the Rover.
The Chevy Spark seems to be another pointless car it just dosn't seem cheap enough. Its touching on Ford Ka money.
Another vote on pointless cars is the Nissan Pixio, it needs to be discounted heavily from the £6995 list to make it any real value otherwise the Panda/i10/Pincanto just do it so much better.
|
Proton Savvy - Why buy one? - Redviper
