Not the best launch for a brand new car. Does not inspire confidence

[BugEyed]

It does seem that SAIC UK aren't able to handle the number of arrivals that they've had recently.

I agree and would place all the the issues firmly at the door of the UK operation. The Factory have had issues relating to Covid and Chips, but the communication failures all appear to stem from the UK.

It looks like, to me, that they've prioritised ZS and MG5 orders ahead of the MG4 launch - whether you believe that to be right or wrong depends on which model you are waiting for!

The European operation have done a lot better - they haven't sold cars that they don't have and launched the facelift versions of both ZS and 5 significantly earlier.

 

[Taq]

I have placed an order with MG Leeds and sales man told me that after 25 September a demonstration car will be available for test drive and if I am lucky with the trim and the colour I have chosen I might be getting one In October. I do not know if all that was to make me place an order but it is what it is.

your giving me déjà vu couldnt even get a straight answer as to where in the queue I am for the spec requested

 

[KaloyanP]

your giving me déjà vu couldnt even get a straight answer as to where in the queue I am for the spec requested

Well, judging from my previous experience with the dealership in Leeds I am not worried. I do not mind getting even next year. As of now I am using ONTO and get to drive different car every month.

 

[Whiskey Foxtrot]

PS: was Solos the Greek restaurant in East St. near Debenhams?

Yeah, that's the one I remember. Surely it's not still there.

 

[Whiskey Foxtrot]

The European operation have done a lot better - they haven't sold cars that they don't have and launched the facelift versions of both ZS and 5 significantly earlier.

Far bigger market and left hand drive. Easier for SAIC to establish?

 

[BugEyed]

Launching in 16 (?) different countries with many different languages at once is surely harder than just one? I can't see that the steering wheel being on the other side makes an appreciable difference to letting the dealers and customers know what cars are available.

 

[AdamMGEV]

I do not doubt the complexities of launching a new car but the MG4 launch seems very uncoordinated.

ideally you would have the following available at the same time as the press launch:
Demonstrators and display cars in place and ready for test drive booking
Clarification to all dealers on what their initial allocation would be (exact variant and colour etc)
Dealer training to have already been done
Brochure on website
Service plans and accessories on website
Handbook available for download
The sign up for updates on the MG website to actually work (I am getting general info from MG via their Twitter feed).

Instead we have a drip feed of info, misinfo and rumour, exacerbated by differing specifications for European models Plus of course endless questions about heat pumps, rain sensing wipers and charging cables etc (don’t answer these - they are all answered elsewhere).

it really does not inspire me with any confidence. Were it not such a good buy (on paper at least), I would have cancelled my order.

Or it might be a good marketing ploy? If you had everything in place and every question was already answered you wouldn't have forums like this talking about all of these things increasing the hype.

So it may have been a positive marketing wise to not have it all readily available day one, keep people waiting and guessing and create a hype and get people talking. Same with say games consoles, if you went there you can buy it, and there was no shortages and queuing, you probably wouldn't create that hype around it.

 

[Gomev]

Unfortunately no heat pumps on UK models, so far.

No, unfortunately

Why the fuss for a heat pump with 60+kWh batteries.

 

[KaloyanP]

Why the fuss for a heat pump with 60+kWh batteries.

Well, apparently it makes the car way more efficient while heating is on. This is what I have heard, neved had a car with heat pump before, I guess just want to try it myself.

 

[JimB]

Irrespective of any individual views or individual test results, this forum is chock full of people reporting that in winter here in the UK they experience range reduction in the order of 15 - 25%.

If the furthest you would like to consider being able to travel for a trip out is no further than the nearest free supermarket charger that will be of no concern.

Whether I personally ever choose to carry out, say, a 250 mile round trip, @ 56mph, in winter, without having to search for a working charger that doesn't have a queue, that is entirely my preroragive and taken in the comfort of knowing that contemplation, on a whim, to attempt such an act of folly will be accompanied by the nice warm feeling that my heat pump might just help get me there and back.

It's as simple as that.

Last time I looked Europe included many countries with climates far more forgiving than either Norway or indeed the UK.

It seems that the STANDARD European spec for the Trophy equivalent includes a heat pump. If these things really are totally unnecessary in the UK why are they being fitted to cars in The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany, amongst others?

I do not question but merely seek enlightenment.

Preferably factual.

 

[BugEyed]

The European operation have done a lot better - they haven't sold cars that they don't have

Did I say that? From another thread

Well a very though pill to swallow here in the Netherlands with dealer MG van Mossel and our MG5 LR facelift. We have ordered the car in May and this is what was promised:

in May --> delivery September (I was happy and signed also because of this)
in June --> delivery end of October (I felt some inconvenience)
in July --> sir before the end of the year probably (I had a feeling of dissatisfaction)
in Augustus --> Sir probably not even this year anymore maybe beginning next year April (I feel cheated on)

It is a worrying situation since I have to be the one contacting the dealer and ask what is going on and there is no real outlook on a delivery. I hope the dealership at least is starting to feel some urgency since we ordered the car based upon what was promised to us in May. But hey I might get lucky and I will stay persistent to give them a call once a month.

Oh well.

I do not question but merely seek enlightenment.

Cost Vs public perception of value? The cost is around £500-£1,000 depending on how it's calculated, and how many people would be willing to pay that much extra for ~10% less reduction in range in cold weather?

MG aren't doing many factory options on MG4 other than colour, and I suspect that this is being kept back as part of the justification of the extra cost of the extended range model. It may trickle down to lower models at a facelift, but now the car is being sold on price not features.

 

[JimB]

There are two costs, not necessarily related to each other - the first being what it actually costs to put it into the car, the second being what they think they can get away with attempting to charge customers for it.

 

[wandle MG4 trophy]

Why has this thread got clogged up with discussion about flipping heat pumps? Why not start a new thread and vent your frustrations there?

 

[JimB]

I agree, let's get back to

"Not the best launch for a brand new car. Does not inspire confidence"​

 

[Whiskey Foxtrot]

Did I say that? From another thread



Oh well.

Not just us then eh...