My First Car Buying Experience
As a person who has been driving for over 20 years and holding an A-level license, I have always been passionate about cars. For my daily commute, which accounts for 80% of my driving, I travel about 10 kilometers each way. Occasionally, I also take weekend trips to the countryside or visit my parents, which accounts for another 10% of my driving. The remaining 10% is spent visiting my child in the provincial capital. I assume that most people have similar driving habits.
My family has been served well by a Peugeot 508 for nearly 10 years. We affectionately call it “Xiao Bai” (Little White), as it has always been reliable and comfortable, never causing us any problems even on rough terrains. However, in recent years, the rising fuel prices have increased the cost of maintaining our 2.0L engine. As a result, I decided to buy a new car for economical reasons.
With my wife’s support, I began my search for a new car. Initially, I had no idea what I wanted. Every salesperson I spoke with recommended a different car, making each one appear to be the best option. However, after sleeping on it, I realized I was being indecisive and wasting their time.
After driving sedans for so long, I became envious of the spaciousness and visibility of SUVs. Some car-savvy friends advised me to avoid new energy vehicles, so I narrowed my search down to fuel-powered SUVs from joint-venture brands. I visited Cadillac several times and was impressed with the XT5’s appearance and performance. However, I was disappointed with its outdated interior design, which did not compare to my 10-year-old Xiao Bai. I also checked out the Volvo XC60, which had an acceptable exterior and interior; however, the second-row space was too cramped for my size 41 feet. I also disliked the styling of the Land Rover Discovery Sport’s rear end. Finally, I considered the Range Rover Evoque L, which looked beautiful when lengthened, but I felt that its chassis was too unstable during the test drive.
(PS: In fact, I really liked the Jaguar F-PACE in the showroom, but it was way over my budget.)
# View on the domestic market
Looking at the domestic market, in recent years, Chinese-made cars have gradually begun to emerge, and are truly changing according to Chinese preferences. I really want to buy a Tank 300, but my wife firmly decided not to drive it as it’s too reckless; I test drove the Red Flag HS7 two or three times, but its image was too perfect, and I was afraid people would criticize me for using a public vehicle for personal use… It seems that there are not many options left. I put down my phone and went to sleep.
New energy vehicles
Several months ago, several of my friends bought new energy vehicles, and after riding in them a few times, they felt it was decent. They all said that new energy is the future direction of automobile development. Then after hearing all about energy consumption, I gave in. The country vigorously supports the development of new energy, so my own perspectives are aligned with the state’s strategy, and what is right or wrong is clear at a glance. So I picked up my phone and started a new round of selections. I have range anxiety, so I focused on plug-in hybrids, which balance both electric and gasoline usage. After the BYD 07 was unveiled at the auto show, I placed a blind order, but the actual car did not come out, and I could not deal with how the door handle looked, so I waved goodbye. Later, I set my sights on the WM Motor EX5, which had features in the exterior design, interior decoration, and car navigation that I liked. I was ready to buy it, but after sleeping on it, my old problems resurfaced: the manual sunshade was annoying, there was a height difference, there was no luggage rack, the exterior looked too similar to another brand, and the back seat was a bit too short. Also, some unpleasant incidents happened when I was preparing to purchase the car, which I will elaborate on later. All in all, I felt that something was missing and it remained on my mind.
Discovering the LanTuFREE
In my boredom, I saw the LanTuFREE. The car looked grand and its features sounded great. With an attitude of trying it out, I left a consulting phone number, and the salesperson was really professional, their enthusiasm beyond imagination, driving more than a hundred kilometers to offer a home test drive. I didn’t have high hopes, thinking it would just be a formality. When the salesperson arrived it was already dark. We got right into the test drive, and after driving a large circle and stepping out of the car, I gazed at the car’s tail which had a wheat-like turning light for a few more times before it disappeared from my sight, and I felt a bit reluctant to leave.At night when I got home, I started to learn about the Voyah FREE and realized that the main concern of all the tangled Voyah on the market seems to be the insufficient pure electric endurance. As I hesitated between these two cars, my wife asked me which one had more aspects that I was unsatisfied with. I answered that the Voyah seemed to have fewer problems. She asked if there were any concerns I had with the Voyah. I replied that the car system was slow and the endurance was short. She asked if I used the car system a lot while driving, and if the Voyah could meet my most frequent needs in everyday scenarios. I said that the car system could be upgraded to 8155, and that I didn’t need such a long endurance in everyday use. Moreover, I could still use fuel. She then asked, “Which car would you prefer to drive in your heart?” I definitely answered, “The Voyah.” She said, “You actually already made your choice.” I always felt that her questions were biased towards the Voyah, but I seemed to also agree with her. In fact, she participated in the test drives of both the Jianjie and Voyah. After she got out of the Jianjie, she didn’t express any opinion, but she was clearly speaking up for the Voyah after getting out of it.
Without hesitation, I contacted the salesperson, talked about discounts, and selected the configuration. The process was simple. I chose the extended version of the luxury package, which was currently in stock. The invoice from Hubei had a discount of 30,000 yuan, the exhibited car had a discount of 15,000 yuan, and they offered many benefits, such as lifetime quality guarantee for the three-electric system and the entire car, which was very cost-effective. I could buy insurance on the outside, which was great because my friend who sells insurance said that he had never encountered anyone who could buy insurance from elsewhere when buying a new car before. The rest of the process was the same: pay, check the car, and go home.
I have bought four cars in total. The first two were Dongfeng brand trucks (back in the 90s, driving Dongfeng cars was very fashionable), the third car was a Dongfeng logo car, and the fourth was a Dongfeng Voyah. It was not intentionally done, it was fate. Also, after buying the Voyah, I read the introduction that “Lan” means a gentle breeze is blowing. Oh…the WeChat name that my wife and I have been using for many years, which consists of two characters each, is “gentle breeze blowing,” which is amazing!
（Images here）
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This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.