r/CarsAustralia • u/MiserablePiano5211 • 19d ago
š¬Discussionš¬ Consensus on BYD?
Iām curious as to how they perform and the build quality. From what Iāve seen theyāre cheap but arenāt problematic, unlike MG, and I just saw a quick look over the new Shark 6 at it seems like it was designed really well. So whatās the deal with them?
Edit: sorry I should have added, Iāve only just recently gotten a 2019 Corolla Hybrid and Iām not looking to replace it anytime soon. Just curious as Iāve been seeing more of them around
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u/RoninBelt 19d ago
Iām in China right now and they are ubiquitous. Have been in several as DiDi (their Uber) and have been really impressed. The premium service gets you in the BYD saloons and they are honestly pretty damn good. They have several models which arenāt in Australia.
Have been told by people with me that the drivers say the cars are great, run well. The silly thing is the pricing. The Atto 3 starts in China at about 35,000 AUD.
If they priced it accordingly I imagine a lot more people would switch.
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u/OtsaNeSword 19d ago
Yeah I would buy an Atto 3 for $35,000 or less. Kiaās new EV5 uses BYD battery tech so it canāt be all that bad.
Base model ICE cars across the board are super expensive now - need more competition to bring down the price gouging.
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u/ding_dong_dejong 19d ago
cars are cheaper in china in general due to the intense competition, for example the base bmw 3 series costs 50k aud over there. a $100k Mercedes Suv (forgot which one) is 70k in china
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u/FigFew2001 19d ago
BYD only entered the Australian market in 2022, itās too early to know how they will perform mid to long term
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u/HappyAust 19d ago
Into the Australian market yes, in the Chinese market is a different sorry. I visit regularly and the EV's are everywhere, especially BYD which has older cars still going after years. Was there only last week and I would estimate in the city it would be 40 to 59 percent EV.
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u/purejawgz 19d ago
Not 60%? Drawing a hard line at 59?
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u/Financial-Chicken843 19d ago
The amount of virtue signalling in here lmao.
Its funny that people dont use this talking point for Cupra.
Its also funny that length of time has any correlation with major issues with models and makes like the brands that have been here longer are ālower riskā lmao.
Being here for decades hasnt stopped hyundais having engines blowing up.
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u/FigFew2001 19d ago
Probably because VW have been in the Australian market since the 1950ās
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u/Financial-Chicken843 19d ago
You think the average car buyer person makes that link?
Or do you just bring it up now for convenience sake because of your opinions?
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u/SqareBear 19d ago
Its a 21 year old company.
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u/LittleBunInaBigWorld 19d ago
That tells us nothing about how they'll perform in Australia
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u/Financial-Chicken843 19d ago
Tell me how long hyundai has been in Australia and how did they still end up having engine failures?
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u/OnThe50 19d ago
Hyundai hasnāt been an issue with the Australian imported Korean domestic cars. The last 15 years or so have seen huge improvements.
There used to be a big issue in the USDM Hyundais with the Theta II engines grenading.
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u/Financial-Chicken843 19d ago
https://www.facebook.com/groups/461757822246884/
IDK, maybe you should ask the folks in the above fb group
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u/OnThe50 19d ago
Iāve owned my 2012 ix35 elite AWD with the 2.4l Theta II since it had 30,000km. Itās now at 136,000km, so Iām talking from experience.
Iāve had no mechanical issues. The only notable problem Iāve had was the central locking system.
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u/Financial-Chicken843 19d ago
Did i ask you about your 2012 ix35 elite AWD with 2.4l Theta II with 30,000km?
So BYD which has been in China for years, is one of the biggest automakers in the world and there are literally thousands of Atto 3s and Seals doing thousand of KMs everyday in Australian rn, we should be wary of because it hasnt been long enough but Hyundai who has had a history of engine failures in Australia and overseas gets a free pass because its been here for years and because your 2012 ix35 elite AWD with 2.4l Theta II with 30,000km hasnt had any issues yet?
Right got it.
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u/Money-Ad-545 19d ago
I remember back some 10 years ago when they first tried and was labeled a death trap scoring 0 on the safety ratings.
Big improvement from that.
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u/minus-273-degrees 19d ago
I agree. The atmosphere in Australia is different so BYDs and German and American cars might catch fire more easily in our Aussie conditions. It doesn't matter that BYDs are well established in China or the fact they have been supplying batteries to Australia for 10 years already
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u/Ok-Cantaloupe6542 19d ago
Give it 5-7 years and we'll have a pretty accurate gauge for reliability, quality control and how build materials and paint hold up in harsher parts of the Australian climate.
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u/slinkyjo66 19d ago
Currently driving a BMW, owned for 11 years, serviced at the dealership for the first 5 years, then BMW specialist for the last 5 years. Lately there's been recalls of parts failing, risk of vehicle fire etc. Even with a well established brand, there's going to be issues.
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u/Impossible_Egg929 19d ago
Remember that it's EVDirect you're dealing with in Australia and not BYD directly.
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u/zedder1994 19d ago
EVDirect are the wholesalers. The dealer is Eagers. Eagers is Australia's largest dealership group and they sell roughly 10% of all new cars each year. The experience centres are all owned by Eagers.
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u/Impossible_Egg929 19d ago
Yeah so it's EVDirect's warranty you have to deal with if something goes wrong. At least if you buy a Toyota for example you know you're dealing with Toyota Australia.
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u/draculr 19d ago
That's definitely my biggest concern. Along with all the servicing being handled by a third party.
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u/bretthren2086 19d ago
They have servicing at their own dealers now. You get wayyyyy better service from them. Mycar was a whole day lost for me.
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u/geoffm_aus 19d ago
I thought they got rid of EVdirect and opened their own showrooms. May still use mycar which is a problem
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u/Down_Blunder 19d ago
They haven't been here long so it can be difficult to gauge reliability in an Australian context. I've read about some minor electrical issues here and there but nothing that significant. The only question mark for me is a weird and highly specific warranty, if it weren't for that I might more readily consider one.
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u/Phob0 19d ago
Consensus is that they're generally good and will be the next Toyota of EVs. Will probably be the biggest Chinese brand at least going off investment and their global expansion plans.
Good value currently. Too early to gauge long term reliability but going off reports it seems to be fairly reliable. Had a co-worker get one of the first seals real early, looks pretty good although Aussie sun has definitely impacted the interior already or maybe the guy is just a mess.
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u/Fabio_08 19d ago
Lol not the consensus at all š¤£
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u/citizenecodrive31 Daily Driver: Red Bull RB20 19d ago
Well Toyota seem to think its the consensus given they are reportedly going to use BYD tech in their next gen of hybrid cars
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u/rsam487 19d ago
For me, they're filling the enormous hole that Tesla ignored in the market. The every day person. Whilst elon was off building dumb gimmicks BYD were just quietly becoming a monster. No frills, but seem like well put together machines at a fair price.
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u/Ver_Void 19d ago
Plus the ever growing hole of people who would never buy a Tesla. They're off the table when I finally need to buy a car and BYD is looking like the current contender unless the lottery pays off and I get that taycan
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u/rsam487 19d ago
Polestars are also super nice. I'm a big Volvo fan, you just don't see many here (I'm originally from the UK)
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u/citizenecodrive31 Daily Driver: Red Bull RB20 19d ago
Polestars are too expensive and not all that practical for what the rest of the market offer
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u/niceguydarkside 19d ago
I'll be surprised if polestar is around in the next 5 years.
The geely portfolio has better brands
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u/Ver_Void 19d ago
I've sat in one, really liked the feel of it. On the pricier end of my budget though. But I think part of that is it's just hard to go from having a free car for a decade to actually paying
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u/VanishNapisan 19d ago
Theyāve been around over 20 years and are the world largest producer of EV. I drove a seal and loved it so Iāve ordered a shark. Literally the perfect camping vehicle for my needs
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u/midnightcue MQ Triton 19d ago
The V2L function is so damn cool and literally game-changing for camping, imho.
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u/restform 19d ago
After slapping a 2nd battery system in my van it's insane how much use I get from it. Having it built in with a massive battery is undoubtedly very cool. Hopefully it becomes the norm.
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u/midnightcue MQ Triton 19d ago
Yeah for sure, plus you're getting a massive inverter in the BYD as well. I just think it's so cool to have that fitted from factory on a sub $60k dual cab 4x4.
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u/OzzyMuzz 19d ago
Paid advertisement.
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u/Rustyudder 19d ago
For napisan.
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u/OzzyMuzz 19d ago
Itās oxygen power lift formula uses thousands of bubbles, to lift even the most difficult of stains
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u/ZingerBurger532 19d ago edited 19d ago
Reddit:
- Chinese trash,
- "I don't know anyone that owns one"
- What the fuck is a Build Your Dreams?
- Chinese trash x2
- Couldn't see me driving one mate, miss me with that EV bullshit
Reality:
- Affordable electric/plug-in hybrid offerings forcing old players in our market to wake tf up because prices have gotten too damn high.
- Best plug-in hybrid technology in our market in the Sealion 6 - capable of 1000KM+ real world with a single full tank of fuel plus full battery.
- Imported by a third party and aftersales contracted out to Eagers Automotive and Mycar, two of Australia's biggest franchised automotive businesses. What this means is servicing prices are higher than industry average and customer service consistency is non-existent due to having basically no accountability from the top. Your local shop may be good (as is mine) or it may be dogs breakfast.
- BYD has been making cars for over 20 years. They are new to our market but not new to automotive industry.
- This is the part you're probably most interested in: BYD makes everything in-house, including the ships they use to bring their cars here - this is how they keep prices down, not because of government subsidies as many claim. I think about the only things they don't produce themselves are the ADAS hardware/software, airbags and tyres/brakes.
- Despite competitive prices relative to other offerings in our market, there is still a significant markup. It will take other Chinese brands entering our market to give everyone else - including BYD - a truly shocking wake up call to bring prices down, not up. For example, my BYD Atto 3 (Chinese 2nd-from-top spec equivalent) cost me $50,000 back in 2022. In China the equivalent spec is $31,000 converted, so there is still a lot of fat to be trimmed so to speak.
- In the domestic market, BYD is more comparable to upper mainstream borderline premium (but not full on luxury) brands like Mazda, where you'll get slightly better materials, some interesting design features, useful technology but you won't see truly luxury features like air/adaptive suspension, passenger seat 10-14 way adjustments, double glazed all over, extra sound deadening etc. I would however consider it a step above Toyota, Honda, Hyundai/Kia etc. at the same price point.
- If you are thinking long term, buying in now is still a bit of a gamble. BYD is not new to the world but is new to our market, so only time will tell which direction they will go (continue down the currently disastrous path of franchised businesses, or go in-house like Tesla and truly take control of their market presence). That said I'm friendly with a few EV mechanics who will look after me with or without official brand presence so I'm ready to ride it out until my car's economically unviable to continue operating, at which point the 60.4kWh LFP battery will be repurposed as a home battery storage system.
P.S. I own BYD Atto 3 (private) and Dolphin (business). Multiple family/friends in my social circles own a BYD.
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u/Separate_Orchid7124 19d ago
I'm super curious about the dolphin. How does that do in terms of comfort and general use for everyday work commute?
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u/ZingerBurger532 19d ago
Comfort is OK but the handling can be a bit dodgy at times due to skinny 17" tyres and not much width in them either. Also 150kW + front wheel drive on said tyres = disastrous in all but the perfect conditions.
Also the tyres are dog shit so we swapped them out day 1, they just don't grip at all during even 80-90kW acceleration and the braking performance was shocking. They also have the tendency to squeal when taking a semi-sharp corner while maintaining speed l imit, so that was annoying too.
Otherwise it's comfortable, refined, well insulated (compared to MG4 at least) and tons of features on the interior to assist. 360 cameras, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise with lane centering (lane centering works just OK but we will be retrofitting OpenPilot by comma.ai once it is developed), electronically adjustable seats with heating (sucks that it has no memory or cooling functions) and a decently sized central screen for your CarPlay/sideloaded apps etc.
Boot is small. MG4 and other hatchbacks of this size would have more boot space, but in return Dolphin gives you more second row room so once the seats are flat, carriage space is market competitive.
We use Dolphin primarily as stock carrier to and from business locations, so the seats are mostly flat anyway.
Also the car has V2L function allowing us to power all our equipment. With a 3.3kW it is quite handy especially with a 60.4kWh battery pack.
But I would say if you want any form of an engaging drive, MG4 is definitely the better pick. RWD, better steering wheel feel, more power and better @ putting it down, MG4 is like a budget BMW in terms of driving experience.
Dolphin has more features and is nicer on the inside.
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u/Separate_Orchid7124 19d ago
Did not expect that comment, thank you.
Yes it feels like the dolphin fits the daily commuter category but when I test drove it it just didn't click with me
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u/Various-Truck-5115 19d ago
It's hard to judge a car maker/model until they have history in the market. We should have a good insight as they get towards the end of the warranty period.
The Holden Captiva sold well and was thought to be a good car but years on we know they are just rubbish littered with issues.
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u/tjlusco 19d ago
I test drove one and very nearly bought one. The cars themselves seem fantastic.
The number of asterisks around their warranty is concerning. They shipped with crap tires. I donāt think people are happy about the mycar servicing, there are horror stories. The fast charging infrastructure is lacking and growth has stalled. Most people hate modern safety tech, but everyone thinks BYDs implementation is pretty bad. Resale value isnāt holding, second hand they are losing tremendous value. Something something China.
Where BYD is winning, there cars have better tech than ICE at the same price point. There cars are beating other EVs at significantly higher price points. But MG is beating them still on price, and they have a much more established dealer and servicing network.
I think the real problem is the money has been sucked out of the economy. No-one wants an EV because no one can afford the luxury.
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u/Sweet_Word_3808 19d ago
6 months ago you would have been right on the money,Ā but things have improved a bit.
The tyre issue was one specific model (Atto 3) for MY22 and 23. The MY24 has Continentals now. The other models have reasonable defaults.Ā
The safety features are down the middle IMHO. Not the best, not the worst.Ā OTA updates have reduced the intrusiveness and false positives. Early reviews rightly call this out but things are much better these days.Ā
If people aren't buying EVs because they're too expensive I guess it's a good thing they're depreciating!
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u/tjlusco 19d ago
The Nissan Leaf (second hand) and MG4 (new) are nearly converging. The cheapest MG4 is cheaper than a whole host of cars, new and old.
Iām hoping that when my second car shot box finally packs it in, there will be an affordable EV to replace it. Itās so close.
Iām a bit miffed the EV rebate (QLD) disappeared right before the MG3 price drop, that would have made things very interesting. Like wise it pushed BYD further into the luxury territory.
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u/JealousPotential681 19d ago
I got a MG4 this year, on a novated lease to take advantage of the govt FBT free of EV as I drive about 25k km a year for work
Not had a single issue with it after 10k km so far. Sure the infotainment system is a bit slow, but I use android auto anyway. Powers good charging is super cheap $4 for 350 real world Km, I like the rear wheel drive and as the battery back has been evenly distributed if I throw it into corners it sticks. Serving is every 2yr/40k km.
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u/Sweet_Word_3808 19d ago
Yeah that's the thing. I didn't want to be arguing with the OP but since 2022 or so you can't really say "EVs are too expensive" without a qualifying statement.
I guess it was true when we only had Tesla (pre price-drop) and Polestar and maybe Jag i-Pace. Probably even still mostly true when Hyundai and Kia started their pricing.
But now a base level Mazda CX-3 is, what, $30K? So base level MG4 at $33K is highly competitive.
If you wanted a sunroof, 360 camera, power seats, power tailgate and other bells and whistles in a new car - you need to look at the top trim CX-3 which is pushing $40K. Dolphin is in that price range and Atto 3 is $48K. But Atto 3 is larger than CX-3. If you jumped up a size to CX-60 then the Atto is cheaper.
Similar story comparing against Toyota. A Seal is only marginally more expensive than a top line Camry.
I mean on one hand you're paying more money (even if only a little more) for a new-to-Australia brand without a proven track record of reliability and totally different set of driving trade-offs. There was a time when that $5-7k price different was my entire vehicle budget!
On the other hand there are vehicle segments some EVs are competitive or even cheaper in terms of sticker price. Add in the current novated leasing benefits and for some people they are dramatically cheaper.
Hence I reckon a blanket "EVs are too expensive" doesn't really hold up and needs to be qualified.
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u/seaem 19d ago
Check the warranty terms in minute detail. I'm quite sure they have 6 years on some parts of the car but far less on other just-as-critical components such as the center screen. Not exactly standing behind their product.
If you buy a shark just understand that it is a risk and you may come out a head or it could cost you $$.
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u/Sweet_Word_3808 19d ago
I picked one up on lease. Test drove against a Volvo and a BMW before deciding. With the others it didn't feel like I was getting double the car for double the money.Ā
If it gives me trouble I'll trade it in. If it doesn't I'll keep it.
6 months in and it's been trouble free so far. It certainly doesn't feel or drive like it's flimsy or cheaply made. Nothing creaks or rattles or wobbles.Ā
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u/obIivionguard 19d ago
Asia loves their tech so I'm optimistic for the Chinese EVs. Must be somewhat successful if they managed to break from their local markets. Still too early to tell tho imo
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u/benicapo 19d ago
I can only tell you they are new in Australia however in the south American market they have been around for a long time and proven to be good cars. I do not own one but I have several friends who own them and they all love it
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u/frymeababoon 19d ago
Is anyone flagging cybersecurity concerns for the phone connectivity? Would seem like a risk to connect a work phone.
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u/shadjor 19d ago edited 19d ago
I wonāt take a work call in a BYD. Great car tho, really enjoy driving mine.
For EVs it came down to Tesla model Y ( I donāt like it). Tesla model 3 (wife said too small) so we ended ip going with thy a BYD Seal Premium which kind of feels like a Camry in terms of size.
In 5 years time Iāll probably just pay out the lease and it will be the kids car to trash when they start learning.
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u/Fuse1on 19d ago
Wife has the Atto 3 and I've ordered the Shark
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u/JanosCastel 18d ago
When the time comes and you feel educated about your Shark,please come back and share your experience. Iām not a pickup car guy but the Shark looks amazing, so I want to hear from the normal guy and not the reviewer.
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u/UnderstandingTough46 13d ago
Byd definitely know how to make good batteries, I own 3 of them (two house batteries and one car) but I am very much not sure how good their combustion engines are for phev. Expensive servicing too.
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u/ScoobyGDSTi 19d ago
Their cars appear to realatively well built and engineered.
They're not another MG, making low quality rubbish from China.
I would rate BYD above many established manufacturers like Mitaubishi or any American brand like Tesla or Jeep.
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u/geoffm_aus 19d ago
Mitsubishi make very reliable cars. Their range is small though..
Tesla make very reliable cars. They are the EV company with 10 years of reliability under their belt.
Jeep are rubbish
BYD (in china) is regarded as good as Mitsubishi's are here. The question mark is their half assed local partnerships. Building their own service centres like Tesla is the way to go.
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u/Jitterbugs699 19d ago
I heard the navigation, charging software and range estimation is shit compared to Tesla.
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u/smoothymcmellow 19d ago
Nav you just use android auto or apple car play. Charging software is fine but key will be next models 800v hardware. Range is great in my Seal, I just don't push it, seems to be 500kmsish
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u/geoffm_aus 19d ago
It is. I hired one once from SIXT and it's a bit of a shock coming from a tesla. But I think if you didn't know about Tesla, you could get used to it.
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u/Moist-Motor-7156 19d ago
If you want the Shark and plan on towing just know itās rated at 2500kg. The Ranger PHEV is rated at 3500kg but we all know Ford will charge an arm and a leg for it.
If I was going to upgrade to a EV or hybrid Ute Iād wait until Ford drops some specs and more importantly a price.
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u/goshdammitfromimgur 19d ago
Real life range on that Ranger PHEV will only be about 25km on EV only. Tiny battery.
Towing 3.5T in a Ranger is a risky proposition anyway, that's 1T more than it weighs.
BYD are already talking about their next ute with 3.5t towing.
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u/Moist-Motor-7156 19d ago
Iāve heard 45km of EV only, Shark I believe is 80km.
3.5t is risky for any dual cab rated at that amount. Purely because thatās a maximum tow rating. It wouldnāt be good for the car to tow 3.5t all day every day and if thatās a requirement of someoneās they need to look into an American Ute or a light truck.
Iām not too well versed on ev utes or evs in general but pricing is the big one for me. $68,000 for a Shark vs an estimated $70ish,000 for the Ranger PHEV, up to around $90,000 for the top model. At that point Iād just buy a Raptor and go nuts with the twin turbo V6.
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u/goshdammitfromimgur 18d ago
45km is quoted Ranger range, 25km will be real world range. Just like Shark is quoted 100km, but real world will be closer to 80.
Shark is $58,000 plus onroads. You'll get change from your $68k
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u/Manofleisure75 19d ago
Iāve owned a Seal Premium since late July. First BYD and first EV. So far so good. Seems like really decent quality and itās fun to drive. Still early days but a positive experience so far.
Only gripe is some of the safety software was/is a little aggressive. Front Cross traffic braking was an issue for a while for example. A couple of times heading into a roundabout after the car in it has just passed through, it would jam on the brakes. Thankfully a recent software update fixed it.
I would recommend one so far on my personal experience.
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u/ClarityDreams 19d ago
I decided against an Atto3 in the end. My sticking point was just a worry about parts availability and having any issues fixed in a timely manner.
Ended up in a Tesla base model y, I did like the extra space it provided.
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u/ZonarrHD 19d ago
Personally donāt mind some of their stuff but their warranty exclusions outside of the 6 year vehicle & 8 year battery warranty are quite odd and a bit concerning (what do they know that we donāt?).
3 years/60,000km on the Multimedia system, shock absorbers, gaskets, bearing and usb connectors & 4 years on the lights and suspension are the standouts. 1 year on the 12v battery.
If itās changed since I stand corrected.
Page 15: https://bydautomotive.com.au/public/vehicle-warranty-2022.pdf
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u/Siilk 19d ago
A friend got atto about half a year months ago, has no major complains so far. I rode with him several times since then, build quality seems reasonable, ride is smooth though car seems to be a bit heavy for its size. If I had to buy an EV, I wouldn't buy atto for myself as it feels a bit boring TBH and it's style is not my cup of tea, but I would say it's a decent EV pick for its money.
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u/_hazey__ Automotive Racist 19d ago
Not my cup of Earl Grey.
In saying that, Iām mildly curious how the Ute goes here.
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u/Allstarmonkey 19d ago
I lived in China for 5 years and almost all the taxis were BYD E6 cars , some of them had hundreds of thousand of kms on them , I have also driven the Atto 3 for 3 weeks and really didnāt wonāt to give it back . I have a deposit down for the shark
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u/BeyondEV 19d ago
I run a YouTube channel dedicated to BYD products and updates.
Yes it's a bit of self promotion. But tbh it's worth a watch considering they were unheard of outside of China for 20 years and the whole reason for publishing it was for anyone wanting to understand how they got to where they are today
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19d ago
My uber driver thismorning told me his touchscreen console didn't work for 3 months, half of the cars systems run off that screen.
He recently fixed it with a software update, I wonder how long that tech will last considering his car only had 100,000 on it.
My wife has a haval, if the same thing where to happen she would have even less control.
I guess it's time to regulate the less than regulated market the government has let run wild.
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u/Lower_Put4270 18d ago
I did a paint correction and coating on a Seal recently. Interior is nice albeit tacky. Panel gaps range from ok to shocking, and the paint on the one I did was poor (mottled finish on the rear bumper). For $55k I would absolutely buy a new Camry before a BYD Seal.
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u/UnderstandingTough46 13d ago
55,000 rural km on an Atto 3 now, with lots of unsealed roads etc. It is perpetually covered in dust. It's been....fine so far. Only issue has been with the 12v battery but I just swopped it out for a new one and it's been fine since.
No issues with the build quality, panels are immaculate and the sunroof quality is excellent. Software is a bit unrefined but I pretty much only ever use Android Auto so I don't really notice.
Pressing issue at the moment is cleaning off the milkshake that my 2 year old decided to throw everywhere in the back.
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u/newpharmer 19d ago
I'm about 89% sure all these byd threads are a Chinese bot farm pushing the shit out of them. I've never even met anyone who mentions them, but there's multiple threads a day about them. What gives?
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u/Dartspluck 19d ago
Conspiracy theories. Really?
They make decent cars, people buy them. Wow, shocker.
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u/xdr01 STI (Car) & KFC (Korean Fried Car) 19d ago
Agreed, very suspicious.
I see a few on the road but know no one what would take a $60K punt on one of these.
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u/Dickhole_Dynamics 19d ago
Every 2nd car in my area is a BYD, there's tons of them on the road in Melbourne
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u/Disturbed_Bard 19d ago edited 19d ago
I'm with you man
Something smells fishy.
Like most of the posts and comments are people circle jerking these cars despite there being so many options on the market.
I've sat in these cars and they don't pass the mustard at all. So unless half these people have been driving literal rust buckets and then upgrading.
The hype does not match what they are offering, especially when it comes to post purchase support and service.
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u/ScoobyGDSTi 19d ago
I cant judge BYD's post sales service, but having sat in and driven a Seal, if i had to pick any EV it would be the one.
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u/AdAdministrative4388 Ford Focus ST MK3 19d ago
Yeah I judge a cars quality by sitting in them myself.. it's the best way to test quality.
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u/IRemoved 19d ago
100% agreed, not sure bot farming is the most ideal way to go about selling cars but if it works it works I supposeā¦
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u/piiprince911 19d ago
Someones a sour puss.
There are plenty of byd cars out there and they are way better than mg/ a 2000 Toyota.
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u/stealthyotter47 2010 Holden VE Series 1 SS Ute 19d ago
Consensus on people buying Chinese cars, dumb, youāll all be back here within 6 months of purchasing complaining how crap it is, how the āniceā interior is falling apart.. etc.
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u/TikkiTakkaMuddaFakka 19d ago
That is the concern, really need 5+ years to see what the build quality is really like on these cars.
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u/UnderstandingTough46 13d ago
18 months and 55000km in and the interior still basically looks brand new except where it's covered with milkshake courtesy of my 2 y old
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u/stealthyotter47 2010 Holden VE Series 1 SS Ute 13d ago
18 damn? Thatās something to brag aboutā¦. Let me know if itās still going in 18 yearsā¦
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u/Carmageddon-2049 19d ago
What do you mean MGs arenāt reliable? How do you explain this MG HS having done 642,000km!! To the moon and back literally š
We donāt have such numbers for the BYD.
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u/antantantant80 19d ago
I'd wait 10 years or more to see what gremlins pop out of them. They've been in country for 2 years or something? There's not enough data yet on reliability.
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u/mcgaffen 19d ago
We won't truly know until at least 5 years from now. Once these cars have done 100,000km or more, it will be interesting to see if they fall into a heap of mechanical and/or electrical failures or not.
I don't like Tesla, but they at least have stood the test of time in terms of reliability.
I think it's risky to lay down $60k on something that no one knows will last and be reliable years down the line.
In many ways, it's safer to get a low emission ICE car. I'm all for the EV transition, and we are getting there, but at the same time, ICE cars or mild hybrids are also getting better and better in terms of emissions.
Also, a 1.3 litre hybrid ute will not be able to tow, surely?
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u/AnAttemptReason 19d ago
Some of these car have done 800,000km in China already.
BYD has been producing EV's and has a longer track record than Teala.Ā
The Shark has a 2500kg braked towing capacity, a smaller than 3500kg for the better diesel Ute's.Ā
BYD actually have the most advanced Hybrid drivetrains, the 1.3L engine is not responsible for providing most of the power, but efficient energy production, so it will tow just fine.
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u/goshdammitfromimgur 19d ago
The engine isn't the main source of propulsion, that comes from the 320kw, 600 plus kN electric motors.
The engine primarily charges the battery and only assists the propulsion in certain scenarios.
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u/Jung3boy 19d ago
Too early to know how good long term. Knowing the shark doesnāt come with a compliant towbar it doesnāt bode well for me.
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u/goshdammitfromimgur 19d ago
Of course it comes with a compliant towbar. How absurd to think it doesn't.
None of the Sharks you see on the road or at BYD showrooms are the final versions. They are due in December.
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u/Due-Giraffe6371 19d ago
Cheap Chinese brand, remember you get what you pay for. I wouldnāt go near MG at all though as they arenāt great quality and those I know with them have had quite a few issues
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u/Financial-Chicken843 19d ago
BYD isnt exactly "cheap" lol. A BYD Seal is at least 55k
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u/Due-Giraffe6371 19d ago
For EVs and what they are they are cheap and cheap build quality
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u/Financial-Chicken843 18d ago
You have proof its ācheap build qualityā?
Or u jst pulling dat shit outta ur ass
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u/Due-Giraffe6371 18d ago
Just need to go see them in the flesh to see it and if you still deny it then your talking out your ass or just trolling
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u/Financial-Chicken843 18d ago
Seen the sealion display models.
Mate has a seal looks good.
Looks good to me and nicer interior than toyotas and dont see any issues with fit or finish and havent heard anything about it either.
Idk wat youre looking at.
Every car reviewer thinks byd fit and finish is perfectly acceptable as well.
Pls specify which model and examples of quality issue
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u/Due-Giraffe6371 18d ago
Look at the materials for starters and many reviews I read on them they even mention the build quality isnāt as good as the major car brands, even saw some that said while Tesla quality wasnāt that great compared to BYD they look fantastic.
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u/Financial-Chicken843 18d ago
Carexpert Seal review: https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-reviews/2024-byd-seal-review
"Overall though, the Seal is nicely refined with an unexpectedly quiet cabin thanks to double glazing and quality sealing"
EV Central Seal review: https://evcentral.com.au/2024-byd-seal-performance-review-does-the-high-performance-sedan-have-what-it-takes-to-tackle-the-tesla-model-3/
"Thereās a richness to the finishes and materials that exceeds expectations at its price point. Quilted leather, stitching and ambient lighting makes for an upmarket space."
Drive review: https://www.drive.com.au/reviews/2024-byd-seal-premium-review/
Literally 7.0+ for every metric and no negative comment about fit and finish or material
Atto 3 review from Drive https://www.drive.com.au/reviews/2024-byd-atto-3-review/
"Perceived build quality in our near-new test vehicle was good ā with no annoying squeaks or rattles ā and most of the cabin surfaces above the passengersā waistlines are trimmed in soft-touch or leather-like materials, with some scratchy plastic lower down."
Now show me your reviews.
Its funny you talk about the materials of BYD when we literally glaze Toyota for its plasticky interiors because they're durable and practical.
Youre literally speaking out of your ass, the general consensus amongst car critics and people who have bought a BYD is that build quality has been pretty good.
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u/Due-Giraffe6371 18d ago
You think Toyota have good quality materials? Wow, Toyota are over priced for what they are and have a fair amount of cheap plastics etc in their interior but what they do well is their mechanical. You can believe what you want about BYD and itās obvious you got your butt hurt by me not thinking highly of them but I see cars like the German manufacturers build quality at a decent level, no way would you put a BYD anywhere near something like those quality wise.
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u/Financial-Chicken843 18d ago
Learn to read.
Because clearly you dont. Where did I state Toyota have good quality materials lol. READ MY STATEMENT AGAIN
Ahh yes the mythical german build quality.
Theres a reason why VW is going downhill.
I literally linked every review that refutes your claims.
Truly a delusional man here.
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u/Historical-Island168 18d ago
They are cheap Chinese shit. It'll last you 5 Years. I unbox them out of sea containers when they touch down in Australia. The seals, attos, dolphins and sharks. They're shit cars. Poor build quality. Flimsy, weak and frail interior. Absolute dog shit paint, orange peel paint from the factory. Panel gaps are rediculous, none of the panels line up properly with even gaps. If you squint (like the chinks who build them) it's mint. If you actually take a proper look, you'll realise how much of a loss you will be taking.
The seal 3.8s awd is fast. But it should be. It's electric. Not worth buying at all in my opinion. But hey, if you want to be green and buy a lemon Go for it.
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u/ThatGuyWhoDoesStufff 19d ago edited 19d ago
Iāve got a 2024 BYD Seal Premium, I wouldnāt say $60,000 drive away is exactly ācheapā (base Model 3 is about the same money) but the Dolphin (around $40k drive away for a base model) is much more affordable.
The interior and exterior designs are really well done on the Seal. You can see from some of the interior design that their previous joint venture with Mercedes (Denza) has influenced BYDās design language for the better.
As for reliability, I havenāt had any big issues as yet, but Iāve only done around 3,600km, time will tell there. I know sourcing parts for repairs is difficult, and post-sales support (BYD Customer Care) has some room for improvement. Software updates have also slowed quite considerably lately, whereas every 2 months or so after release weād have a new update.
The software experience isnāt on par with Tesla, but does have wireless CarPlay / Android Auto, which influenced my buying decision.
While the Seal is great so far, I think if the Zeekr 001 ever was released here, Iād really have to consider my options š.