Reader Mail: Recall Lifan!
February 19th, 2010 11:48 AM
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Maisara Gad writes in from Egypt to register his unhappiness with a recently purchased Lifan 520 which blew its gearbox at 70 km/hr.
Do you Call this a car ? Since i got this JUNK and i have been allways in problems .. the car is full of problems .. check out the web site i started to let the world see how junk car you sell to the public.. i wouldnt stop showing every one this junk car
Yes, well it is a 20-year-old Citroen ZX with the latest in Chinese styling and interior work. With that kind of pedigree, it’s hard to have too many expectations. Still, Chinese automakers who thought that success in foreign markets is as easy as improving crash test videos on Youtube should take note.
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I can't imagine why GM and Ford aren't reverse engineering Chinese cars and blatantly copying them.
I had a Lifan copy of a Honda Trail 70. One thing I know for certain is that Loctite was never purchased by that factory. After the first ride, I spent a weekend with a bottle of loctite and a torque wrench tightening up all the bolts that were loose from manufacture. Of course the torque settings were just guesses based on what the Honda guys were doing, but I figured that Honda new better in 1975 than Lifan did in 2005.
My sympathies to Maisara Gad. It could happen to anybody - I had a new Honda which was a lemon from day one. In the US you can get a quality car for $12000 US. For a quick look I found a new 2010 Fiat Punto for about $16000 US: http://www.carsdir.com/used-car-details.asp?carid=31724 I say dump the Lifan and get a real car.
It is funny how the car's rear badge proudly proclaims "520" in BMW-esque font style. Oh yes, the badge makes the care!