I watched an interview on Fox Business Channel with an official from Mahindra Motors re the upcoming debut of their truck to the U.S. market. You can read more about it here and here.
Per the Mahindra official on FBC, their target market isn’t the people that want to show off their new truck. This is a working truck for people that need to haul things and make a living from their truck while getting the best possible gas diesel mileage. That’s my definition of a work truck, too.
Would I switch over to a Mahindra from my beloved Chevy trucks (particularly if Government Motors is determined to give us little underpowered green cars that I can buy less expensively from Kia)? Well, I dunno. It depends on how reliable they turn out to be and how much repairs cost.
Princess Bernie said,
July 15, 2009 @ 9:18 am
Interesting. MWG and I have been hoping and dreaming Toyota would bring its diesel Tundra to the US, but no such luck. Read the interesting article posted somewhere recently about how American or non-American certain makes of vehicles are.
In the top 10, there were several Toyota models that are 80% American – including parts and labor. Our Tacoma and Tundra are both on the list at almost 80% American. Only two big 3 autos that I recall were in the list. This week, MWG and I bought a new Jeep Wrangler. Our first “American made” vehicle in decades. It’s only 52% American. Imagine that.
The moral of the story? If Toyota can make an vehicle that’s made in America and comprised of 80% American without union labor and Chrysler can only put out a 52% American vehicle with union labor, doesn’t that say that in order to pay the union, Chrysler had to go overseas to get almost all of the parts for this vehicle?
swampie said,
July 15, 2009 @ 9:24 am
Yep. Hope you have good luck with your Jeep. Daughter had a series of Cherokees (all of which were mechanical nightmares) before she finally gave up.
Princess Bernie said,
July 16, 2009 @ 9:46 am
We bought this for fun rather than as a primary vehicle. It’s pretty bare bones, no A/C even. I’m hoping it’s mechanically sound, too. I don’t buy union made cars because of my past experience with them being mechanical nightmares – from tiny annoying crap that just keeps falling apart to major stuff, too.
But of course it’s backed by Chrysler and we all know how stable they are…
swampie said,
July 16, 2009 @ 9:55 am
*sigh* The bad thing about daughters is that when they marry husbands with no mechanical ability whatsoever, it’s “Daaaaaaddy! Can you fix my vehicle?”
For the really difficult repairs, SwampMan is going “Son? Can you come help me rebuild the transmission?”
Unfortunately, son is several states away now working because that’s the only place he could find work doing what he do. We’re about to head over and mow his grass so that he doesn’t get cited by code enforcement for his grass not being cut (they can fine up to $1,200 for that shit and the county needs the cash).
Bill said,
July 16, 2009 @ 5:10 pm
I have been waiting for a small diesel for years. Honda blew it when they delayed their launch of their new diesel engines in the US. Honda’s diesel did not require urea a definite improvement over VW, Mercedes and GM. It seems Mahindra is building the perfect truck for this outdoor loving baby boomer. Lets hope they don’t eat us alive with required maintenance like VW does with the Jetta diesel.
swampie said,
July 16, 2009 @ 6:56 pm
Well, it’s a truck I would be in the market for IFF (if and only if) maintenance/repair costs are reasonable.
Otherwise, I can wait.